The 2016 Blast The latest POLITICO scoops and coverage of the 2016 elections. Email Sign Up

Tweets from https://twitter.com/politico/lists/team-politico



Bush, Rubio, Christie: Women should be eligible for Selective Service

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie indicated support for opening Selective Service up to women in case the draft is ever reinstated, the three Republicans said Saturday.

"I have no problem whatsoever with people of either gender serving in combat so long as the minimum requirements necessary to do the job are not compromised," Rubio said. "I support that. Now that that is the case, I do believe Selective Service should be opened up for both men and women in the case a draft is ever instituted."

Bush made it a point to note that there is no draft currently, but did say "I do, I do," when asked if young women should be required to sign up for Selective Service.

"The draft's not going to be reinstituted," he said.

Pressed by host Martha Raddatz, Bush replied: "We don't have a draft, I'm not suggesting we have a draft," but he is focused on military readiness and high morale, and has no objection to women serving in combat roles.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't directly express his views on requiring women to register for the Selective Service, but said more broadly, "There's no reason why one young woman should be discriminated against for registering for the Selective Service."