It looks as though senator Marco Rubio is preparing to announce a 2016 run for president in two weeks and his choice of venue may hold some symbolism.
Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo of Politico:
Marco Rubio looks to April 13 Miami launchFlorida Sen. Marco Rubio is strongly considering launching his presidential campaign April 13 at the Freedom Tower, a historic Miami landmark known as the “Ellis Island of the South,” according to Republicans familiar with his thinking.From its name to its history – it once served as a U.S. clearinghouse for Cuban exiles fleeing Fidel Castro – Miami’s Mediterranean-style Freedom Tower underscores the themes of Rubio’s political career and his likely campaign. He’s a first-generation son of immigrants who has sought to make the American Dream synonymous with his biography.Rubio’s possible April 13 launch date was first reported by The Tampa Bay Times. However, the Miami Heat plays against the Orlando Magic that evening at the American Airlines Arena, which sits right across Biscayne Boulevard — raising the prospect of a traffic nightmare. And the Freedom Tower hasn’t yet been secured by Rubio’s Washington-based team, which will inspect it this week to see if it’s the right venue.
Rubio faces the same challenge as Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. Will America get behind another first term senator?
Tim Alberta of National Journal suggests Rubio has a strategy for that:
Marco Rubio Has Made This Bet Before—and WonAre Americans willing to elect another fresh-faced, first-term senator as president? Marco Rubio thinks so.The Florida Republican is planning to announce on April 13 that he is running for president, Bloomberg and the Tampa Bay Times report. Rubio has reserved the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, and multiple sources confirmed the booking is for a planned presidential announcement.For Rubio, whose Senate seat is up in 2016, a White House run marks a major gamble. It means foregoing a run for Senate reelection to enter a crowded primary race where he—despite enormous political talent and unrivaled rhetorical abilities—has consistently polled in single digits in both national and early-state surveys.But Rubio, as his advisers often note, has been in this position before. This time six years ago, Rubio was an afterthought in a U.S. Senate race that appeared destined to belong to Gov. Charlie Crist and the GOP establishment. It didn’t take long for Rubio to turn the race upside down, using his family’s immigrant story and his exceptional oratory skills to become a favorite of the conservative base—in Florida and nationally.
Featured image via Wikimedia Commons.
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