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Marco Rubio just had a Mitt Romney moment.

At CNN’s town hall, the Florida senator was asked about his apparent fondness for EDM (electronic dance music). Rubio acknowledged that he listened to EDM, but insisted he had never been to a rave. Everyone started laughing, Rubio mugged for the crowd, then spread his arms wide and declared, “This is a Republican primary!”

Rubio appeared to be saying that even if he did go to a rave, he certainly wouldn’t admit it now, not on national television, not while he’s running for president. And fair enough. It was reminiscent of Romney’s response in 2011 to the accusation that he had hired undocumented immigrants to work on his lawn. Romney said that once he found out, he thought: “I’m running for office for Pete’s sake, I can’t have illegals.” It was a wonderful insight into Romney’s true motivations, and a rare moment when you glimpsed his authentic self. Rubio, showing his calculating side, did something similar.