Rubio to keynote Faith and Freedom BBQ in SC

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is slated to keynote a “Faith and Freedom” barbecue next month in South Carolina, the first southern state on the presidential primary calendar.

Rubio, a potential 2016 candidate for the White House, will headline the barbecue hosted annually by Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan (S.C.) on Aug. 25.

{mosads}Allen Klump, a spokesman for Duncan, said the barbecue is in the “heart of one of the most conservative and politically important” sections of the state and “provides great exposure for anyone seeking higher office.”

The trip will be Rubio’s first to the state since the 2012 election. He has visited a number of other early nominating states this year.

In May, he attended a fundraiser in New Hampshire, the first primary state. He also helped campaign with GOP Senate candidate Joni Ernst ahead of the June primary in Iowa. 

“I’m honored to have a solid conservative like Senator Rubio come to South Carolina to headline this event,” Duncan said in a statement. “Senator Rubio shares South Carolina’s values of limited government and individual liberty, and I’m looking forward to having him visit our state.”

Last year, another potential GOP presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), attended the event along with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

The event is located in Anderson, S.C., and had an attendance of about 1,000 people last year. Klump said Duncan’s office reached out to Rubio because the two have built a relationship since the last time Rubio spoke at an event in the state.