The Daily Item - Marino: We Don't Always Agree On Everything

News Article

By Ron Meyer

U.S. Rep Tom Marino is defending his endorsement of Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for president because his constituents favor the billionaire businessman.

Marino, R-10, of Cogan Station, on March 1 became the first member of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation and the fifth member of the U.S. House to endorse Trump.

Since then, only one more member of Pennsylvania's 13 Republicans in the U.S. House -- Lou Barletta, R-11, of Hazleton -- and two other members of the U.S. House have said they will support Trump.

"We don't always agree on everything," Marino said of Trump, with whom he met Friday. "I told him that and he was understanding."

Marino on Friday attended the opening of a Trump campaign office in Clarks Summit, and said he told Trump what Trump needed to do in order to keep the three-term congressman on his team.

"He needs to tone some things down," Marino said. "He is not a politician and he is not part of the establishment and I like that."

While Trump's shoot-from-the-lip campaign -- with inflammatory statements about Mexican immigrants, Muslim refugees and women who get abortions -- may not sit well with many in the nation, it is resonating in Pennsylvania, according to the latest polls.

A four-day Fox News survey of 802 likely Pennsylvania Republican voters that ended Thursday showed Trump with 48 percent, and opponents Ohio Gov. John Kasich with 22 percent and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, with 20.

According to a RealClearPolitics average of four polls conducted since March 29, Trump has a lead of 15.8 points over Cruz and 18.8 points over Kasich.

Pennsylvanian's primary election is April 26, and Marino said he is seeking to become appointed to be an uncommitted delegate.

For that to happen, he would have to be selected by the Pennsylvania's state Republican Committee.

Marino also said he is supporting Trump because of Trump's stance on ISIS.

"Everyone has something in this fight," Marino said. "There will always be a terrorist somewhere and we are fighting a hard battle here. We are fighting a blind battle and we need to be stronger and take control of this."

Trump's statement that the United States needs to pull out of NATO isn't necessarily the right move, Marino said, but he agreed other countries need to start paying a fair share for protection against enemies.

Marino serves as the vice president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and said that with 28 countries participating, there has to be equal financial funding.

Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act may get a boost if a GOP candidate wins the White House in November's general election.

"I think we understand that can't happen overnight," Marino said.

"We need to take a solid look at this and we need to rebuild it. Everyone should have health care. There is no question about that. But we need to fix this. Let's at least talk about it."

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