'Immigrant-Origin' Rubio Emerges as Trump Running Mate Contender

Advantageous in Winning Hispanic Voter Support

Marco Rubio, a U.S. Senator of Cuban immigrant descent from Florida, is reportedly emerging as a leading candidate for former President Donald Trump's vice presidential pick for the upcoming November U.S. presidential election.

On the 16th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a U.S. economic daily, reported, "Senator Rubio is one of the few frontrunners in the pool of vice presidential candidates for former President Trump." The political media outlet The Hill also stated, "Rubio is known to be near the top of the list of candidates considered by former President Trump."

Born in 1971 to a Cuban immigrant family, Rubio served nearly 10 years in the Florida House of Representatives before becoming a U.S. Senator in 2010. During his Senate campaign, he appealed for support by sharing his 'American Dream' story as the son of a bartender father and a hotel housekeeper mother, and was elected with the backing of the hardline conservative 'Tea Party' movement. He ran in the 2016 Republican presidential primary but withdrew after losing. Although he exchanged harsh criticisms with former President Trump during the primary, Rubio has supported Trump since the Republican nominee was decided.

If Rubio becomes the vice presidential candidate, it is expected that he could capture the votes of the important Hispanic voter group in battleground states like Arizona and Nevada, which could influence the election outcome. Additionally, as someone from a Cuban immigrant family, he is anticipated to attract interest from both the working class and professionals. Rubio’s status as the youngest among the potential vice presidential candidates is also considered an advantage.

While former President Trump has not yet decided on his vice presidential pick, he is known to recognize Rubio’s strengths. On the 13th, after meeting with Republican lawmakers in Washington D.C., Trump flew Rubio on his private plane back to his home in Florida, and Rubio gave a congratulatory speech at Trump’s 78th birthday celebration the following day.

However, the U.S. Constitution stipulates that the president and vice president candidates cannot both be residents of the same state, which currently disqualifies Rubio from being the vice presidential candidate since both he and Trump reside in Florida. Accordingly, Rubio is reported to have prepared to resign from his Senate seat and move out of Florida to become eligible as a vice presidential candidate.