Wikipedia

Marco Rubio

United States Senator from Florida since 2011

Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician. He has been the senior United States Senator from Florida since 2011. He is a Republican. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000, and he served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2008. Rubio unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016. In November 2024, he was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the United States Secretary of State.

Marco Rubio
Official portrait, 2018
United States Secretary of State
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentDonald Trump
SucceedingAntony Blinken
United States Senator
from Florida
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Serving with Rick Scott
Preceded byGeorge LeMieux
Committee positions
Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee
Assumed office
February 3, 2021
Preceded byMark Warner
Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee
Acting
May 18, 2020 – February 3, 2021
Preceded byRichard Burr
Succeeded byMark Warner
Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee
In office
January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021
Preceded byJim Risch
Succeeded byBen Cardin
94th Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
November 21, 2006 – November 18, 2008
Preceded byAllan Bense
Succeeded byRay Sansom
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 111th district
In office
January 25, 2000 – November 18, 2008
Preceded byCarlos Valdes
Succeeded byErik Fresen
Personal details
Born
Marco Antonio Rubio

(1971-05-28) May 28, 1971 (age 53)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1998)​
Children4
EducationTarkio College
Santa Fe College
University of Florida (BA)
University of Miami (JD)
Signature
WebsiteSenate website
Rubio's voice
Rubio honors a Senate staffer who passed away
Recorded September 18, 2021

Early life

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Rubio's family moved from Cuba to the US in the 1950s. He was born in 1971 in Miami, Florida. He has one brother and two sisters. Rubio's family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1980s but they later came back to Miami. After high school he stayed in Florida and went to the University of Florida, where he graduated in 1993 with a political science degree. After that he went to law school at the University of Miami, where he got a doctorate in law.

Florida House of Representatives

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In late 1999, Rubio ran in a special election that happened for the 111th House District in the Florida House of Representatives, representing Miami.[1] Rubio came in second in the Republican primary on December 14, 1999,[2] but won the runoff election for the Republican nomination.[3] He then beat Democrat Anastasia Garcia with 72% of the vote in a January 25, 2000, special election.[4]

In November 2000, Rubio was reelected unopposed.[5] In 2002, he was reelected to a second term unopposed.[6] In 2004, he was reelected to a third term with 66% of the vote.[7] In 2006, he was reelected to a fourth term unopposed.[8]

Rubio spent almost nine years in the Florida House of Representatives. Later in 2000, the majority leader of the House, Mike Fasano, promoted Rubio to be one of two majority whips. In December 2002, Rubio was appointed House majority leader by Speaker Johnnie Byrd.[9][10]

On September 13, 2005, at age 34,[11] Rubio became speaker of the state house. He became the first Cuban American to be speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, and would remain speaker until November 2008.[12]

U.S. Senate

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In 2010 he ran for US Senate. He ran a long shot campaign at first: most people thought that Florida's Governor, Charlie Crist would get the Republican nomination. Rubio won the primary, but Crist entered the race as an independent. In a three way race between himself, Crist, and Democrat Kendrick Meek, Rubio was elected to the Senate in 2010.

Rubio has become well known since entering the Senate. He has been critical of President Barack Obama and has proposed his own ideas in place of Obama's plans on more than one issue. He wrote a plan for the economy supporting free market economics and has proposed tax cuts for small businesses that have innovative ideas. Rubio also introduced a reform of the US immigration system and recently supported changes to how colleges deal with sexual assault.

Rubio announced in May 2015, that he will not seek re-election because of his presidential campaign.[13] After suspending his presidential campaign, Rubio announced he would seek a second term in June 2016. Rubio defeated Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy in the 2016 election.

After former Vice President Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and Trump made false claims of election fraud, Rubio defended Trump's right to make claims of fraud and challenge the election results.[14]

Rubio called the 2021 United States Capitol attack as unpatriotic and "3rd world-style anti-American anarchy".[15] After Congress was allowed to return to session, Rubio voted to certify the electoral college results.[16] In February 2021, Rubio voted to acquit Trump for his role in causing the mob to storm the Capitol.[17] On May 28, 2021, Rubio voted against creating the January 6 commission.[18]

2016 presidential race

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See the main article: Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016

On April 13, 2015, Rubio announced his candidacy for president in 2016 and that he would not seek re-election to his Senate seat.[19][20] His campaign started at the Freedom Tower in Miami, a building that many Cuban immigrants passed through.

During the 2016 Republican Party presidential primary, Rubio came in third place in Iowa. Since then, he came in second or third place in the Nevada and South Carolina primaries. He won the Minnesota primaries after Super Tuesday. On March 6, 2016, Rubio won the Puerto Rico primary by winning almost 74%. He also won the Washington, D.C. caucus.

Rubio suspended his campaign on March 15, 2016 after losing the Florida primaries to Donald Trump.

U.S. Secretary of State

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In November 2024, The New York Times reported that President-elect Donald Trump had chosen Rubio as United States Secretary of State in his second administration.[21]

Personal life

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Rubio married Jeanette Dousdebes in 1998. Together, they have four children. The Rubios live in Miami, Florida. Marco has two sisters, Veronica and Barbara, and an older brother, Mario. Rubio has said in his books that he is a fan of rap music. When he was a young man he played football, and once hoped to play the game in the NFL. Rubio has also written two books.

References

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  1. ↑ Azares, David (December 15, 1999). "Diaz De La Portilla Wins State Senate Seat". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ "December 14, 1999 Special Primary Senate 34 and House 111 & 115". Florida Department of State Division of Elections. Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  3. ↑ Elfrink, Tim (July 22, 2010). "Marco Rubio, Tea Party pretty boy". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Legislator says he got calls demanding he end sit-in Series: AROUND THE STATE: [SOUTH PINELLAS Edition]". St. Petersburg Times. January 26, 2000. ProQuest 263423613.
  5. ↑ "FL State House 111 Race – Nov 07, 2000". Our Campaigns. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  6. ↑ "FL State House 111 Race – Nov 05, 2002". Our Campaigns. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  7. ↑ "FL State House 111 Race – Nov 02, 2004". Our Campaigns. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  8. ↑ "FL State House 111 Race – Nov 07, 2006". Our Campaigns. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Dade Hispanics Set to Get Top Posts in House". Nl.newsbank.com. December 10, 2002. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Two S. Florida Democrats To Lead Senate Committees". Nl.newsbank.com. December 18, 2002. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  11. ↑ "The Speaker". National Journal. July 11, 2015. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  12. ↑ Fineout, Gary (November 15, 2003). "Baxley backs off House leader bid". Ocala.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  13. ↑ David M. Drucker (April 13, 2015). "Marco Rubio jumps in, will leave Senate". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  14. ↑ Bump, Philip (February 3, 2021). "Analysis | The Republican conspiracy-theory crisis, in one tweet". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Florida Lawmakers Condemn Pro-Trump Protests On Social Media". WUSF Public Media. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  16. ↑ Scouten, Ted (January 7, 2021). "Sen. Marco Rubio Claims Some Trump Supporters Who Barged Into Capitol Building 'Got Caught Up In The Moment'". Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Marco Rubio and Rick Scott vote to acquit Trump over role in Capitol riot". Miami Herald. 2021.
  18. ↑ "Which senators supported a Jan. 6 Capitol riot commission". The Washington Post. May 28, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Marco Rubio tells donors he's running for president in 2016". CBS News. April 13, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  20. ↑ Steve Benen (April 13, 2015). "Marco Rubio rolls the dice". MSNBC. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  21. ↑ Haberman, Maggie; Swan, Jonathan (November 11, 2024). "Trump Expected to Name Marco Rubio as Secretary of State". The New York Times.

Other websites

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  Media related to Marco Rubio at Wikimedia Commons

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