NASHVILLE – Republican Gov. Bill Haslam endorsed GOP presidential hopeful Marco Rubio Thursday and is featured in the Florida senator’s first Tennessee TV ad.
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist also has endorsed Rubio as Tennessee’s GOP establishment candidate, mobilizing to promote him as the top alternative to front-runner Donald Trump in Tuesday’s Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses.
But a note to Team Rubio, which is spending $4,000 on the ad in the Chattanooga market: You may need to step up your game.
That’s because Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and a super PAC linked to a wealthy Fort Worth money manager are spending nearly 10 times as much in the Chattanooga market alone.
Cruz’s campaign has spent more than $14,204 for TV ads in the state and the Stand for Trust super PAC is spending another $24,000, according to Federal Communications Commission filings.