Why Mormons, Why Marco Rubio

Marco campaigns in Ohio. Courtesy of Marco Rubio's campaign
Flikr page,  photo by Shealah Craighead

Politics and Religion?

This website is an attempt to convince fellow Mormons that Marco Rubio is the best candidate for President of the United States in 2016.

Some readers may already be balking at the unholy mixture of religion and politics in the title of this blog. But maybe it is not so unholy. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we read that with regards to political office "honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently" (D&C 98:10). My goal is to stimulate members of the Church to such diligent seeking by presenting my opinion that Marco Rubio is just such a politician and that we, as a community, could be the bastion of support that he needs to push him into office. This election seems like a real watershed moment: as Marco said, it is not just about candidates but rather it is a "referendum on who we want to be as a country."

(NOTE: I am not using any church resources, email lists, or callings to promote the opinions on this page)

Why Mormons?

Why did I aim this page at Mormons, rather than at the general public? The reason is that as a community, we share certain values from which we can derive a common framework that we can use to talk about who would be a good candidate. I'm not sure that I could convince the general public that Marco is a good choice, but I think that I can convince fellow Church members.

Also, we are a community that can make a difference. Not only do we have a decisive influence on the primary votes of at least three states (Utah, Idaho, Nevada), and a significant influence on many others, but we also know how to support a cause. Church members scattered throughout the United States would likely be among the most effective and consistent volunteers if they could only see the urgency and significance of this election. Church members could also be generous donors. Even though Marco is probably the most electable Republican in the field, this will still be a very challenging election for the GOP even if he is the nominee. The odds are stacked in favor of the Democrats. I'm not assuming that all Church members vote Republican, by any means. However, I will save that discussion for this post.

Why Marco?

My goal is to present the reasons that I believe Marco Rubio is the right person to lead the United States into the twenty-first century. Each of these reasons may eventually become a blog post in itself.


1. Faith and True Principles

We know that those who are not built upon the rock of true principles will eventually fall (Matt 7:24). Thus, this is the most important quality in a candidate. It is hard to determine what someone's foundation is, but try watching these videos here and here. The deep way in which Marco Rubio expresses his faith strikes me as evidence of sincere consideration and thought about spiritual matters, whereas so many candidates just seem to be pandering. Judge for yourself.

2. The cause Rubio is fighting for is bigger than himself

Marco is not just presenting himself as a candidate. He is striving to represent a choice to define our country in terms of true principles. I will get into more detail in a blog post, but for now check out this video  (start from minute 6). We need such a "movement" in this country.

3. Rubio seems to have a pretty clean record

The only "dirt" the media has been able to find on him so far was that he used a Republican Party credit card for personal purchases, and then later paid off those purchases. Rubio said it was an accident. This NY times story talks about that, and also about Rubio's own personal financial struggles, which is the other thing some people have brought up.

4. Rubio is not prone to unnecessary contention

For this one, you will just have to watch him speak for yourself to understand the way he communicates. I believe it is rare for a politician to be able to divorce passion from the "spirit of contention" (3 Nephi 11:14) the way he does.

5. Rubio is able to work with the other party

A spirit of compromise and unity is something we desperately need in this country right now. Rubio was not only a part of the bi-partisan "Gang of Eight" that put forward a bill on comprehensive immigration reform, but he also seems to have a history of being practical when it comes to working with the other party. I will provide evidence/citations for this in a future post. His positions are actually very "conservative," but he seems to be able to moderate them when needed for compromise.

6. Rubio is able to inspire hope in the future without abandoning principles

The way he talks about the principles that make America great doesn't only hearken to the past. He really believes those same principles should be the foundation of our response to the problems of modernity. The same video I linked to under point #2 speaks to this subject, as well.

7. Rubio is intelligent and educated

Although I think some of his plans are overly optimistic, the way he talks reveals a familiarity with the issues and the international situation that is rare in the Republican field. Simply watch any TV interview where he is asked about foreign policy, and compare his level of understanding to any other Republican candidate. For starters, try this video (from minute 2).

.....more details on all of these points to come...

Please comment below! Even if you simply agree that Rubio is the right choice, I would love to hear that I am not alone!