The internal Republican threat to Senator Marco Rubio’s re-election seems to be over, as former President Donald Trump endorsed “Little Marco” after his daughter, Ivanka Trump, declined to entertain rumors of her own run for U.S. Senate. Florida Republicans seem to prefer unity as they head into 2022 and 2024, and Trump’s popularity in the state remains strong.
“It is my honor to give U.S. Senator Marco Rubio my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump said.
Once the party’s darling, Rubio’s popularity has clearly slid in recent years behind Trump and Ron DeSantis, and possibly even Rick Scott with the Republican Party. That means Rubio, who previously attacked Trump as a dangerous con man and questioned the size of his hands, now openly welcomes the endorsement to keep his political career alive.
“It is a tremendous honor to be officially endorsed by President Donald J. Trump for my re-election to the US Senate,” Senator Rubio said. “With his strong support, I will continue to be a strong and outspoken conservative voice for Florida.”
Trump also praised Rubio for his stance on the Democrats’ Russia claims. “He also ruled that ‘President Trump was in no way involved with Russia,’ as he presided over the Senate Intelligence Committee on the FAKE Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax,” Trump said.
Now, Democrats can focus their attention solely on Rubio in 2022 for the Senate. Rubio lacks the clear political identity as he has morphed often to advance politically, and he’s lucky he will not have to run against the Trumps again to stay alive in Florida. But can the Democrats run someone who can defeat Rubio, maybe embarrass him like Trump did in the Presidential Primary?
