Rubio: Christie record ‘very similar to the Obama agenda’

GOP presidential hopeful Marco Rubio is hitting back at rival Chris Christie, saying his record is similar to President Obama’s.

“Chris Christie has done a number of things that are very similar to the Obama agenda,” Rubio said Thursday on Fox Business Network’s “Cavuto Coast to Coast.”

{mosads}“I just don’t think this country can afford to elect a president that will not stand up and undo the damage Barack Obama has done to this country.”

Rubio, a Florida senator, opened up an opposition research file during the interview, running down a list of positions Christie has taken that could hurt him with the conservative base.

He noted the New Jersey governor’s previous support of Common Core education standards, gun control, an assault weapons ban and abortion rights, as well as a his past donation to Planned Parenthood.

Samantha Smith, a Christie spokesperson, refuted Rubios critique in a statement to The Hill. 

“This is the difference between a senator and an executive. While Senator Rubio has no doubt given some nice speeches on these issues, Governor Christie has vetoed Planned Parenthood funding, ended Common Core in New Jersey, and protected the rights of gun owners.”

Rubio and Christie have been feuding as both fight for standing ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

Groups allied with Rubio have panned Christie’s record in ads. He responded in a Washington Post interview Monday, saying, “I just don’t think Marco Rubio’s going to be able to slime his way to the White House.

Christie went on to pan Rubio as a supporter of “amnesty” for his work on a comprehensive immigration bill in 2013 and has knocked Rubio for skipping votes to run for president.

Rubio hit back on Thursday, after host Neil Cavuto asked about Christie’s remarks.

The senator defended his record, noting that Christie has been criticized in New Jersey for spending time outside of the state to run for president.

“Chris Christie is missing out of New Jersey most of the time, that’s why his numbers there are so terrible,” he said.

“And the reason is simple: He’s running for president, and so am I. I’m running for president so the votes we take in the Senate matter again.”

Christie has shot up in recent polls of New Hampshire, inching closer to Rubio’s second-place spot in the state, according to RealClearPolitics. The two candidates are among a cavalcade of Republican candidates—including Gov. John Kasich (Ohio) and former Gov. Jeb Bush (Fla.) — who are hoping to leverage establishment support to win the New Hampshire primary. 

This story was updated at 7:06 p.m.