Rubio, Kasich draw hundreds of Grand Strand voters ahead of primary

Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio energized a crowd of nearly 800 voters in Myrtle Beach Thursday, driving home hot-button issues that had conservatives on their feet and cheering throughout the Florida senator’s speech.

Rubio engaged voters with pledges to protect religious liberties and preserve the 2nd Amendment, secure the borders against illegal immigration and block Syrian refugees from resettling in the U.S., and he promised to rebuild the military he described as “gutted” by President Obama.

Rubio stood firm on his right-to-life position against abortion and said families continue to struggle with cultural challenges that threatens their American dreams.

“You know how hard it is to raise kids with the right values?” he asked. “Sometimes you can’t even trust the Disney Channel.”

Despite the heated debates and mud-slinging within the GOP primary, Rubio pledged to talk about the differences between himself and the other Republican candidates in a respectful manner.

“Because when Republicans tear each other up, the Democrats cheer,” Rubio said to laughter and applause.

Instead, Rubio fired up the crowd by focusing on his Democratic opponents, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

“I’m going to walk you through this nightmare,” Rubio said. “You wake up the day after the election and the news is saying President-elect Bernie Sanders. The only people that’s good news for, is Saturday Night Live.”

“Usually in politics when you call someone a socialist, they deny it — he says it in his commercials,” Rubio said. “So I give him credit he admits that he’s a socialist. The only problem is, there are like 68 countries in the world that call themselves socialist. If you want to live in a socialist country, move to a socialist country.”

Rubio said Clinton should be charged with a crime for the mishandling of her email server and suggested that if elected, she would continue to ignore the law.

“She did it because she thinks she’s above the law. She’s not above the law,” Rubio said. “Now she’s running for president and if she wins, she’ll probably pardon herself.”

Grace Metros of Myrtle Trace said she was leaning towards Rubio before she attended the rally, but wanted to hear him speak him before committing her vote.

“I would definitely vote for him,” she said afterward. “He’s much more in touch with the reality of what America is going through.”

“I like (Donald) Trump, but I think (Rubio) can beat Trump,” Metros said.

James York of Pawleys Island said he wanted to hear Rubio specifically because of his endorsements by South Carolina’s U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy.

“That means a lot to me,” York said.

York said Rubio did a good job, but that he’s still leaning towards U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

His daughter, Sue York said she was leaning towards Ohio Gov. John Kasich, but after watching Rubio’s performance, the Surfside Beach resident says she’s undecided.

“I like what he had to say, he didn’t seem as plastic as he does on TV,” Sue York said.

Kasich held a town hall meeting in Pawleys Island Thursday morning, and told a crowd of several hundred there that the president’s job is not to hand out jobs or to tackle every problem on his own, but to inspire and unite Americans to restore the country’s character and strength.

“The problems we have can be solved, but we have to pull together. All of us together can accomplish wonderful things,” Kasich told the standing-room-only crowd gathered at Applewood House of Pancakes.

Whether it’s helping kids stay off drugs, taking care of the elderly or participating in school events, Kasich said, “it’s the responsibility of the community.”

“There’s a lot of lonely people in America,” Kasich said. “That’s not up to me to fix, but for me to talk about to you, to better restore the spirit of our country.”

Kasich discussed health care for veterans, rolling back Obamacare, and strengthening the military without initiating the draft.

Kasich said he opposes Medicaid for illegal immigrants and tightening border security, and the crowd loudly applauded him when he said he opposed “yanking people out of their homes” because they are in the country illegally.

At least 200 people crowded into the pancake house and another 100 who couldn’t get into the packed restaurant waited outside to greet him before the town hall meeting.

Most of the attendees sported Kasich stickers and said they were already committed to voting for the former congressman, who ran second to Trump in this week’s New Hampshire primary.

“I believe in his ethics, he’s honest, fair, a family man and a Christian, and he would make a great president,” said Monique Philips of Pawleys Island.

Added her husband, David Philips: “He has just enough Washington experience.”

Susan Akers of Pawleys Island said Kasich was the only candidate who has balanced a budget in their political career, and is truly concerned about the $19 trillion debt.

Jerry Noell said he won’t be choosing a Republican candidate based on who can beat Clinton.

“I’m tired of voting against someone. This time I’m voting for someone. It will probably be Mr. Kasich,” Noell said.

As the South Carolina primary draws close, Republican candidates are flocking to the Grand Strand area to court voters for the state’s prize of 50 delegates.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Cruz made campaign stops in the Myrtle Beach area Wednesday and hundreds of people turned out to hear the candidates address key issues including health care, states rights and national defense. Trump returns to Myrtle Beach for his third visit on Feb. 19 at the Myrtle Beach Sports Center.

Polls of South Carolina voters show Trump has a commanding lead in the state, however no polling has been conducted since the Iowa or New Hampshire contests were held in February.

The most recent state poll concluded on Jan. 23 by NBC, the Wall Street Journal, and Marist College shows Trump with 36 percent, Cruz with 20 percent, Rubio 14 percent, Bush 9 percent and Kasich with 1 percent.

National political pundits are looking to the Feb. 20 South Carolina primary to signal which candidate the conservative and Christian base will favor, especially after Cruz won over Trump in Iowa, and Kasich’s second place win in New Hampshire. Rubio came in third at the Iowa Caucus and fifth place in the New Hampshire primary.

After the South Carolina primary, the candidates will scramble to Nevada to campaign for that primary on Feb. 23.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Rubio, Kasich draw hundreds of Grand Strand voters ahead of primary."