Marco Rubio Nears Decision on Presidential Run

It’s beginning to look more like the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary will include several candidates from the Sunshine State.

Sen. Marco Rubio hasn’t officially announced his candidacy, but says it’s likely, The Tampa Tribune is reporting. Those close to Rubio have also indicated he will seek the Republican nomination with an official candidacy announcement possible in April.

The first-term senator’s recent actions also signal a likely run, the Washington Post notes. Rubio has spent time in recent days courting conservatives, the paper reported, first at the Conservative Political Action Committee’s annual meetings and then at the Club for Growth meetings in Palm Beach.

Rubio also made an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” in recent weeks. That appearance had Rubio defending the Sunshine State as host Jon Stewart went on a several-minute rant about the state’s state of affairs.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed that Rubio’s approval ratings with Florida voters remain strong. Rubio’s job approval rating was 47 percent, according to the poll, while Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson only received at 43 percent rating. Both senators, however, fared better than Gov. Rick Scott.

See Also:

• Jeb Bush Presidential Bid ‘More Than Likely’
• Jeb Bush Would be a ‘Great President,’ George W. Says
• Watch: Jon Stewart Goes on Florida Rant
• Polls: Voters Down On Rick Scott, Optimistic About Florida’s Future

Meanwhile former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is also positioning for a presidential run. While Bush has yet to make an official announcement, the likelihood has been bantered about in the press for some time, especially on the heels of his brother, former President George W. Bush, dropping strong hints about the possible candidacy.

Bush once served as Rubio’s mentor, making a primary race between the two “a bit unusual,” The Tribune quoted Rubio as saying.

Bush, Rubio added, is “proving he’s going to be a formidable candidate.”

The Republican slate for 2016 is far from decided. Other potential hopefuls include governors Bobby Jindal and Scott Walker and Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas, among others.

The Democrat slate also remains undecided as 2016 nears. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains a strong contender as does Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, among others.

Who would you like to see run in 2016? Share your opinions by commenting below!

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