Republican presidental nominee Marco Rubio bought a gun to 'protect his family from Isis'

Marco Rubio said his gun was a 'last line of defence' between his family and Isis

Marco Rubio smiles. (Morry Gash/AP)

Republican Presidential nominee Marco Rubio has said he purchased a gun on Christmas Eve in order to defend his family from Isis.

Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, spoke about his festive purchase on CBS's Face the Nation news show.

Speaking to host John Dickerson, Rubio said: "I have a right to protect my family. I was previously a firearm holder, this was an additional one, and I think many Americans around the country feel the same way."

Rubio added he was a "strong supporter" of the second amendment to the US constitution, which guarantees Americans the right to own guns, and said he purchased the weapon to protect his family.

He said: "If Isis were to visit us or our communities at any moment, the last line of defence between Isis and my family is the ability I have to protect my family from them, or from a criminal, or anyone else who seeks to do us harm."

His comments on Face the Nation echoed a speech he made on 17 January in Iowa, where upcoming caucuses will be the first major events of the national nomination process to decide the Republican and Democratic candidates for this year's presidential election.

Addressing a crowd in the city of Sioux Center, Rubio said that if he becomes President, he will ensure that Americans' second amendment rights are protected, the Guardian reported.

"Because, if God forbid Isis pays a visit to your, to our community, the last thing standing between them and our families may be the ability to proect ourselves with our guns," he said.

"And there's no way we're going to take that away from the American people, not when I'm president."

Rubio has an 'A' rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA) for his record of voting against gun control, and in recent stops on the campaign trail he has made visits to gun shops and firearms manufacturers.

According to the most recent polls, Cuban-American Rubio is America's third-favourite for the Republican nomination, falling behind Donald Trump, who is in first place, and Texas senator Ted Cruz, in second.