U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is supporting his “good friend” Julio Gonzalez in a new ad for the contentious House District 74 race.
In a campaign marked by negativity and competing attack ads, Rubio’s 30-second digital spot represents one of the more positive advertisements to come in recent weeks, focusing on Gonzalez “living the American Dream,” which has been one of the key talking points in the Miami Senator’s political career.
Like Rubio, Gonzalez was born in Miami after his parents fled Cuba’s communist government in the early 1960s.
“Julio isn’t a politician,” Rubio says. “He’s a principled conservative, a veteran, a medical doctor who served his country and community.”
“Julio has lived the American dream,” Rubio added. “And he knows how to keep that dream alive.”
Gonzalez is “the only conservative in this race,” he concludes.
Gonzalez, an orthopedic surgeon and Chief of Staff at Venice Regional Medical Center, faces former prosecutor and Republican Party leader Richard DeNapoli in the Aug. 26 primary for the district covering Osprey, Venice and parts of North Port and Englewood. Both men are running for the seat vacated by term-limited Rep. Doug Holder.
