Today is a big day for the Marco Rubio Senate campaign in Florida, with the candidate holding a much-promoted “moneybomb” online fundraising event.
The date, February 10, was picked to coincide with the one-day anniversary of a pro-stimulus event that President Obama held in Florida alongside moderate Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, Rubio’s rival in the primary. Rubio has built much of his campaign as a reaction from the conservative base against Crist — who had started out as a seemingly prohibitive favorite for the nomination — over Crist’s early friendliness with the Obama administration. Rubio is also holding a rally today at the very same venue, the Harborside Event Center, to mark the anniversary of “The Hug.”
The starting goal for the moneybomb is $100,000. This really does seem like an intentionally low number, in order to play the expectations game, in a time when moneybombs for other politicians such as Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) or Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) an take in many times that much. Already, Rubio is at $76,000, and the day has just begun.
Late Update: The goal for Rubio’s campaign is $787,000, or $1,000 for every $1 billion of the stimulus. The $100,000 is from a separate, parallel moneybomb being organized by Sen. Jim DeMint’s PAC, the Senate Conservatives Fund.