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Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a rising star in the Republican Party and a favorite among conservatives to round out the party's ticket this fall, endorsed Mitt Romney for president on Wednesday evening.
Rubio's endorsement is a marker of support that many candidates had sought. It comes at a point in the campaign at which Romney has sought to coalesce Republicans behind his candidacy.
"I don't have a problem with primaries, but I think we're at a stage now where at least two of the candidates have admitted that the only way to get the nomination is to have a floor fight at the convention," Rubio said before announcing his support for Romney on Fox News.
"It’s increasingly clear that Mitt Romney’s going to be the Republican nominee,” Rubio said, adding: “We’ve got to come together behind who I think has earned this nomination and that’s Mitt Romney.”
Romney has spoken highly of Rubio in the past, describing him most recently as an example of "the American Dream" in an appearance Tuesday on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show."
Rubio has been a favorite among conservatives since his Senate bid in 2010, in which he managed to best moderate Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican primary, and eventually, in the general election (in which Crist ran as an independent).
Since his election, Rubio has been cautious on national issues. He waited months before delivering his maiden speech in the chamber, and had generally demurred on questions of national politics, instead emphasizing his focus on Florida issues.
But there has been undeniable hype surrounding his potential selection as a running mate to the eventual Republican nominee.
"It's not going to happen," the Florida senator said Wednesday on MSNBC. "I'm obviously flattered that people think about me that way. There are some things I'd like to get done here in the United States Senate. I'm enjoying the role that we have here."
Although Pope Benedict has called for more religious freedom, he's chosen to meet with Fidel Castro and not political dissidents during his trip to Cuba. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., discusses.
Rubio additionally said on Wednesday evening that while he has spoken with Romney throughout the primary, the topic of the vice presidency never came up as a topic.
To that end, Rubio pushed up the release date of an autobiography to early this summer (a less favorable biography by a reporter is expected later this summer). His campaign finance reports also showed he had hired a firm to conduct opposition research on his past — mirroring the kind of vetting process a potential vice presidential candidate might face.
The potential of having Rubio on the ticket has stoked Republican optimism that the party's nominee might fare better among Latino voters; the GOP has lagged among this key voting bloc in several recent national polls. A Fox News Latino poll released earlier this month found that 24 percent of Latino voters would be more likely to support the Republican ticket if Rubio were the vice presidential nominee; 51 percent said it would make no difference, and 14 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a ticket on which Rubio served as the vice presidential pick.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who endorsed Romney for president, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last week that Romney should pick Rubio as his running mate.
"He is the best orator of American politics today, a good family man. He is not only a consistent conservative, but he has managed to find a way to communicate a conservative message full of hope and optimism," he said.
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WELL Finally an Endorsement that means something!
Maybe IT will give Romney some Balls?
BUT, I doubt it !
Fellow Mormons stick together. Power to the salamander!
What does a spoiled rich man that has never in his life needed to balance a budget, that has how many caddy's and was planning a huge remodel with car elevators, spent the years when he should have been drafted hiding in a palace with servants waiting on him hand and foot in France know about what the average American is facing? Not a thing, he will waste money on what his rich friends want done, they don't give a rats a@@ about anyone beneath them, that would be just about everyone. He will cut services to seniors and the poor. He will make sure there is only two classes in this country, he was all about bailing out his buddys on wall street and the banking industry but when it came to blue collar auto industry he said let them go bankrupt. Being president is the only thing he can't buy so he wants to get it to put that feather in his ego inflated cap.
John Kerry's not running this time gramgigi :)
Romneycare will do to the US what Bain Capital did to their victims. Lay off the workers, break up the material assets, sell the pieces, and pocket the money. Now THAT'S change you can believe in!
The fact that a person is wealthy doesn't matter. It's what they do that matters. Stop trying to make wealth the problem - it's the person.
Rubio another republican clown who tries to convince he is a real patriot wrong he is a con artist and reminds me of tony montana from scarface a cuban rufurgee selling anything and everything. I live in Florida and believe me Rubio is a fake and con artist just taking everyone he can. I don't trust any of the cubans who came over here after all why did they leave Cuba if they are real patriots. The USA isn't their country Cuba is. Their was some questions about his true date he came to the USA and if his parents were really who said they were but no one followed up on it. Never trust a Cuban look at their past Fidel is a Cuban and he had missiles pointed at this country in 1962 along with the Russians. Rubio is just another flash in the pan who acts like a patriot but in fact just another con artist like tony montana.
They tried to nail Obama about his Grandmother. What about Rubio's brother the drug man?
How about Sotero's illegal cousins, aunties, ect. and of course uncle drunk driver?(I am going to call my bud the prez...) Lets not talk about his daddy, making babies all over the place and not paying for them..... What a loser!
Well, it looks like the clown car is about to exit the ring. Now on to the main event...
I think Romney and Rubio would make a good team. I can only hope that the next president would beable to turn the US around without stealing from future generations to do it. I feel sorry for the poor kids in college and high school. They will have to pay for all of Obama's deficit spending. I bet the class sizes for their kids will be in the 50's because they can't afford to pay for any teachers. They will be too busy paying off debt.
Guess you don't have many friends or family members who are/were teachers. An overwhelming number will tell you it is the neocons slashing education budgets while at the same time keeping big tax breaks for the corporations and most wealthy. And have you heard of the "sandwich generation?" Just wait until the republicans take a chainsaw to Medicare. A home for your kids or meds for Mom and Dad?
I will vote for a Morman over a muslim always and Rubio as VP just makes it better! Romney/ Rubio2012.
Another GOPer with his priorities in order.
Another GOPer with the intelligence of a gnat.
Willard isn't running for President. He is running to increase his wealth. Anyone who spends millions for a job that pays approximately $200,000. a year is hoping to get in on a payday. He will help his Mormon churchbuddies to send out phony offers of insurance after they make a killing they will slip him a pile of money. Then the military contracts he is going to throw out just like Cheney to his friends.
Willard is all about money not God, not for the people, he is for himself and the almighty dollar bill. He has enough money right now to stay home and travel with his family but no he wants more money. They all do it both sides they get in as poor Congressman and Senators and suddenly some one $hits alot of money in their pocket for a favor.
It is white collar crime at the peoples expense. They have all of you throwing insults at one another and they do not give a crap. They are getting what they want a divided country. The more we fight one another the easier for them to steal and pass laws that keep you barely making ends meet.
We are the new slaves we pay taxes and they steal from the pot in many ways.
What the hell is wrong with America? We've got an ineligible Russian plant in the White House and now pundits are all gaga over putting an ineligible Cuban plant in Blair House. Can you say Satan?
moroni and weasel
I have written to Senator Rubio and he has written back to me which I was very happy about. he would make a good president down the road. while a lot of people are against Obamacare. there is a huge need for some kind of health insurance for the millions of working poor in this country. like Walmart and Target and kMart and sears and the list could go on for pages. I am on medicare and for that I am grateful. there needs to be something for the people tht have nothing and please do not say that if they work enough they can get it. that is crap and people know it
nothing like jumping on the band wagon after the band has been announced.
I'm a Democrat,but if Mitts the cat wants my vote he'll have to pick the Republican governor of New Mexico,Susana Martinez, as his running mate.She's the type of Republican who's both hated by the Democrat and Republican establishment.Ever since she got elected she's been kicking them ,and their little pet projects out to the curb.
In Florida, Rubio was being investigated for mis-use of his state-issued credit card. He was already under the spotlight, before he was whisked off to Wash. Just because someone "is" an advantage to someone....does not mean that they are worthy of any position of importance. Ethenticity should not be a marker of qualifications, ever.
Rubio's brother is working for the mayor, in JAX. Before that he was working for BC/BS insurance. Does that make him qualified to be the governor of Florida, next time? There are always questions about deals and games in politics, and the people don't really want to know. That is why we get burned, in this country.
Romney is so far out-of-touch with the human race. Newt is only in-touch with himself. Santorium just never "got it". But, these are the candidates that Republicans would rally behind, "just because"?!? One finger away from the "red phone" and we all disappear.
Americans have lost the gist of looking behind the doors, to see who is moving the chess pieces. And how they will survive.
What a suprise !
Rubio is just an extension of Jeb Bush, so am glad they both endorsed Romney, because it just guarentees ROMNEY a loss in November...
Rubio is Biden's worst nightmare in a VP debate.
Biden is easily one of the dumbest politicians ever. This clown makes Dan Qualye look like Einstein. Mr 'Big F@#*ing Deal' is in big f@#*ing trouble if he steps on the debate stage against Rubio.
1 Latino vote down, 21.5 million to go.
Palin/McCain...I mean Rom/Rub 2012
Does it really matter if one anti-American hate-and-fearmonger endorses a tax dodging job exporter?
If you really want to know who governs the United States check out:
http://www.alec.org/
http://alecwatch.org/
http://alecexposed.org/
http://www.thenation.com/article/161973/koch-connection
These are the people who own and operate the republican party, for fun and huge profits at the expense of the American people, the US government and our society as a whole. They have sold us all for 30 pieces of silver plate. Or haven't you seen the third-world condition of the US court system?
You haven't lived in a democracy or a republic since early 1981 when Reagan and the neocons began selling the American people down the river, when control of our once free and independent broadcast media was handed over to the people we were warned about controlling the media. Laws died to appease Reagan cronies.
To get some education about the big business, right-wing controlled media, the disinformation disseminated by the propagandists masquerading as journalists and the total lack of honesty, morals or ethics in the right-wing candidates check out:
http://mediamatters.org/
Rubio is Biden's worst nightmare in a VP debate.
Biden is so dense, he makes Dan Qualye look like Einstein.
Mr "Big F@#*ing Deal' is in big f@#*ing trouble is he steps on the stage with Rubs.
Obama/Biden 2012!!!!!!
It's history, k.m.
Your boy's a failure, much like the ilk that got him elected in the first place. Give 'em a place in the history books, otherwise let's move on...
Not-a-Marxist/Not-a-Marxist 2012
What a surprise, rubio is not even liked in miami and has had problems staying away from people with bad rep's but this is nothing new for the gop.
my kids are paying for the bush deficit right now.
Our great grandchildren will be paying for Obama's overspending, hawk.
The drunken sailor GWB couldn't hold a candle to the fiscal idiot we have in place now.
DisgustedConservative: I totally agree with you because Bush Jr did not have any brains or balls to be in the same room with the intellect that President Obama has and he also does not pay any attention to a childish form of flip flop psychology. LOL.
hawk, please re-read my post, after which you will not totally agree with me.
I referred to BHO as a "fiscal idiot". Not dumb, but foolish and ignorant of the ways of economic laws.
DisgustedConservative: Who can be more foolish and ignorant than Bush Jr who could not even keep the texas rangers profitable or an economy out of the out of the sewer? Oh i forgot that economic laws don't apply to him because he is a republican, and you believed him for 8 years so what is that saying about you and your understanding about economic's? Sounds like some one's intellect is out of touch with real people.
Ha! Who cares if a no account Punk like Marco Rubio endorse Mitt Romney. Rubio is a Liar and a Wannabe
How nice you give us facts and intelligent discourse instead of insults and innuendo.
Gagggggg.
Soo If Rubio was to run as V.P., will the left refer to him as a "white hispanic" ? Just wondering...
Maybe he will run as an AMERICAN.
Soo If Rubio was to run as V.P., will the left refer to him as a "white hispanic" ?
No Mike -They'll probably refer to him as a Kenyan, Mau-Mau, Cuban commie without a birth certificate.
Oh-Yeah baby. I wanna see that long form birth certificate!