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| The first of many? Marco Rubio denies he has plans for second presidential bid | The first of many? Marco Rubio denies he has plans for second presidential bid |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Marco Rubio, the Florida senator and former Republican presidential candidate who this week changed his mind about leaving Congress, said on Sunday he “didn’t run for Senate to run for president again”. | Marco Rubio, the Florida senator and former Republican presidential candidate who this week changed his mind about leaving Congress, said on Sunday he “didn’t run for Senate to run for president again”. |
| Related: Dark days for Republicans as Never Trump faction eyes one last end-around | Related: Dark days for Republicans as Never Trump faction eyes one last end-around |
| “Any political expert would tell you this is not the right way to do it,” Rubio told CBS on the program Face the Nation. | |
| “Expose yourself in another election, in a very unpredictable, to say the least, election cycle after saying you weren’t going to do it. It’s a tough election in a strong swing state.” | “Expose yourself in another election, in a very unpredictable, to say the least, election cycle after saying you weren’t going to do it. It’s a tough election in a strong swing state.” |
| Rubio did not rule out running for the White House again, and disagreed with a suggestion it was not a good idea to run while serving in the Senate. During the presidential race, Rubio was strongly criticized by Republican rivals for his sparse attendance and voting record. | |
| He withdrew in March from what he called a “vibrant” Republican primary, after losing heavily in his home state to Donald Trump, now the presumptive nominee. In the final few weeks of the campaign he was castigated by fellow Republicans for a controversial decision to make personal attacks on Trump. | He withdrew in March from what he called a “vibrant” Republican primary, after losing heavily in his home state to Donald Trump, now the presumptive nominee. In the final few weeks of the campaign he was castigated by fellow Republicans for a controversial decision to make personal attacks on Trump. |
| This week, after three months of insistence that he would leave public life, he said he would after all seek re-election to the seat he has held since 2010. “I have only said like 10,000 times I will be a private citizen in January,” he tweeted a month ago. | This week, after three months of insistence that he would leave public life, he said he would after all seek re-election to the seat he has held since 2010. “I have only said like 10,000 times I will be a private citizen in January,” he tweeted a month ago. |
| Two Republican candidates who would have opposed him in a primary, including the state’s lieutenant governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, have since withdrawn from the race. A Quinnipiac poll released this week showed Rubio beating both his possible Democratic opponents. | Two Republican candidates who would have opposed him in a primary, including the state’s lieutenant governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, have since withdrawn from the race. A Quinnipiac poll released this week showed Rubio beating both his possible Democratic opponents. |
| “It’s not the safest route forward,” Rubio said on Sunday. “I’m running for re-election, because I’m going to be a senator. I’m going to spend six years in the Senate making my mark on behalf of the people of Florida, but also on behalf of the things that are important for America.” | “It’s not the safest route forward,” Rubio said on Sunday. “I’m running for re-election, because I’m going to be a senator. I’m going to spend six years in the Senate making my mark on behalf of the people of Florida, but also on behalf of the things that are important for America.” |
| Rubio’s about-face wasencouraged by Republican leaders who seek to keep control of the Senate, and who fear congressional elections are indelibly coloured by Trump’s divisive rhetoric and unpredictable behaviour. | Rubio’s about-face wasencouraged by Republican leaders who seek to keep control of the Senate, and who fear congressional elections are indelibly coloured by Trump’s divisive rhetoric and unpredictable behaviour. |
| Despite having said during the primary that Trump was “erratic” and a “con man”, not fit to hold the nuclear codes, Rubio has since endorsed the businessman and said he will vote for him. Unlike other primary foes, he added that is willing to speak at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July. | Despite having said during the primary that Trump was “erratic” and a “con man”, not fit to hold the nuclear codes, Rubio has since endorsed the businessman and said he will vote for him. Unlike other primary foes, he added that is willing to speak at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July. |
| Askedwhat he had learned from his presidential bid, Rubio said: “You know, first of all, I learned the Republican party is a diverse party. It truly is much more diverse than the Democratic party. | Askedwhat he had learned from his presidential bid, Rubio said: “You know, first of all, I learned the Republican party is a diverse party. It truly is much more diverse than the Democratic party. |
| “It has elements of libertarianism that are very strong. It continues to have its traditional elements of strong on national security, pro-family, pro-constitution.” | “It has elements of libertarianism that are very strong. It continues to have its traditional elements of strong on national security, pro-family, pro-constitution.” |
| Related: Marco Rubio to seek re-election to Florida Senate seat | Related: Marco Rubio to seek re-election to Florida Senate seat |
| In remarks made resonant by events in Britain this week, where older voters and those in economic straits propelled the leave campaign to a shock victory in a referendum on membership of the European Union, he added: “It has a growing number of people that have been badly hurt over the last eight years by the economic downturn, by the changes in the global economy.” | In remarks made resonant by events in Britain this week, where older voters and those in economic straits propelled the leave campaign to a shock victory in a referendum on membership of the European Union, he added: “It has a growing number of people that have been badly hurt over the last eight years by the economic downturn, by the changes in the global economy.” |
| The anger was natural, Rubio insisted. “People call that populism. I just say it’s people that have been hurt in their own lives,” he said. “You know, they’re 55 years old. They were getting ready to retire. Their house lost all its value. They lost their job. No one will hire them at the job they once had. And they’re hurting and they’re angry. | The anger was natural, Rubio insisted. “People call that populism. I just say it’s people that have been hurt in their own lives,” he said. “You know, they’re 55 years old. They were getting ready to retire. Their house lost all its value. They lost their job. No one will hire them at the job they once had. And they’re hurting and they’re angry. |
| “And the Republican party has become a home for a lot of people like that as well. So it’s a diverse party, and it’s one of the reasons why you saw such a vibrant presidential primary.” | “And the Republican party has become a home for a lot of people like that as well. So it’s a diverse party, and it’s one of the reasons why you saw such a vibrant presidential primary.” |