“[T]he one thing that the federal government must do . . . is keep us safe.”
Senator Marco Rubio spoke those words during the last Republican Presidential debate, and the focus of his campaign could not be more timely. In this era of rising crime and failing schools, of international terrorism and nuclear proliferation, of staggering national debt and low economic growth, we need leaders who know how to keep Americans safe and how to put our country back on the path to prosperity. Marco Rubio is the leader we need in these perilous times, and I am proud to endorse him and pledge my full support for his election as the next President of the United States.
As a criminal gang prosecutor for Los Angeles County, I see first-hand the devastating consequences of kids drawn to gangs and crime. Senator Rubio understands that in addition to police and prisons, public safety is also about quality education and the need to empower American families — policy priorities he has long emphasized. Keeping our communities safe means that we not only fund and support our police officers who are on the front lines of public safety, but also that we give every American child an education worthy of his or her potential and create the conditions for American families to succeed and prosper. We need leaders who will fight for real solutions to the problems facing so many American families, and Marco Rubio is that kind of leader.
Senator Rubio has also been a tireless advocate for American strength and leadership in this increasingly dangerous world. He understands that if we do not maintain the ability to project power overseas, then we cannot keep Americans safe here at home. He knows how vital it is that we contain Russian expansionism and Iranian aggression, that we maintain our military and economic edge over China, and that we combat both international terrorism on the battlefield and radical Islam in the marketplace of ideas. And he recognizes that a strong U.S.-Israel relationship must always remain a central and unassailable pillar of American foreign policy.
As a U.S. military officer who helped to lead an anti-terrorism team in missions throughout Iraq, I especially appreciate Senator Rubio’s thorough understanding of the threats we face from international terrorism and from Iran. We cannot afford another commander-in-chief who meets these grave threats with weakness, vacillation, and retreat. And we cannot afford another commander-in-chief who is willing to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapons capability. America’s leadership in the world is a critical strategic asset, and Marco Rubio has the vision and understanding to return us to that place of leadership.
Finally, no less important than Senator Rubio’s vision and leadership is his genuine concern for others. I have had the opportunity to speak with him in person on several occasions. His warmth and sensitivity is both genuine and impressive. Perhaps his own humble upbringing explains his ability to connect so naturally with others. Or perhaps it is a result of the values instilled in him by his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Cuba in pursuit of the American dream and who worked exceedingly hard to attain it. But regardless of its cause, Marco’s ability to empathize with the struggles of American families is one of his great assets.
These are critical times, and our future is at stake. Let ours not be the generation that bequeaths to posterity an America that is less safe, less secure, less prosperous, or less preeminent in the world. Marco Rubio knows what it takes to ensure the promise of America for our children and grandchildren, and he has the talent to take us there. Let us do our part to ensure that he is our next President.
Elan Carr is a Criminal Gang Prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and an Iraq War Veteran. He currently prosecutes cases involving some of LA County’s most notorious street gangs as well as cases of domestic violence and animal cruelty. While deployed in Iraq he lead an anti-terrorism team in life-saving missions throughout the country. Elan is a candidate for Los Angeles County Supervisor in the 5th District.