Joni Eareckson Tada, an evangelical Christian author, radio host, and international advocate for people with disabilities, has revealed that she endorsed Senator Marco Rubio for president because of his commitment to caring for society's weakest members.
"What Senator Rubio has done thus far in the Senate to help dismantle Obamacare is pretty important, because the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, is not good news for the elderly, the medically fragile, infants with disabilities, or people like me with significantly handicapping conditions," she told The Gospel Herald during a sit down interview in Nashville, Tennessee.
She added, "When there are only a limited number of healthcare dollars, people with significant disabilities and the elderly aren't going to have the same access to good healthcare as those that are healthy and able-bodied. I'm so grateful that Senator Rubio recognizes this, he sees this, he sees the danger of the affordable care act, and he has moved in the Senate to help begin dismantling it, and that's that good news."
Tada, who has been a quadriplegic for close to 50 years and survived stage 3 breast cancer, first announced her support for the Florida Senator back in February.
"American society, as with any nation, is judged on how it treats its weakest members, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and the unborn. It is why I personally support Senator Marco Rubio," said Tada, who served on the U.S. State Department's Disability Advisory Committee under former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"On all issues relating to sanctity of life, Senator Rubio is solidly committed to a compassionate social conservatism which lifts up the needy," she added. "I strongly urge you to join me in supporting his campaign for U.S. president."
Tada joins a number of leading pro-life advocates in endorsing Rubio, such as Abby Johnson, Senator Deb Fischer, Senator Rick Santorum, Senator Tim Scott, Ashley McGuire, and Scott Klusendorf .
Throughout his campaign, Rubio, a professing Christian, has promised to repeal and replace Obamacare if elected president. In October, he, along with Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee issued a statement stating he refused to support any measure that did not fully repeal the Affordable Care Act.
"ObamaCare is fatally flawed not just because it is poorly constructed, but because it relies on the outdated philosophy that the federal government can solve our problems through more spending, more taxes, more regulations, and more bureaucrats," Rubio wrote in Politico in August.
The National Catholic Register notes that Rubio has a 100% score on the National Right to Life Committee's scorecard of voting records for elected officials. He was a co-sponsor of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Bill, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
The Florida Senator has also consistently voted to defund Planned Parenthood and stated that, if elected to the presidency, he immediately would reinstate the Mexico City Policy, which bans federal money going to any international non-governmental organization that promotes or performs abortions.
"I think future generations will look back to this history of our country and call us barbarians for murdering millions of babies because we never gave them a chance to live," Rubio said during the August GOP debate.
A One America News Network poll conducted by the nonpartisan research firm Gravis Marketing (PPD Pollster Scorecard: B+) found Donald Trump leading Rubio 45% to 25%, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz pulling in 15% of the primary vote. Dr. Ben Carson, who dropped out of the race on Wednesday, trailed with 5% of the vote, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich jumped to 10%.
