First-term Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., admitted Wednesday that he would not attend this month’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland so that he can spend more time with his state’s voters.
That was yet another jagged pirouette for Rubio in a year filled with unexpected political dance moves.
Rubio, whom Donald Trump had needled mercilessly during the GOP presidential primary as “Little Marco,” dropped out of the running in March after losing his own state’s primary to the brash businessman. He initially declined to endorse Trump and said that whatever the future held for him next year, he would be a “private citizen.”
Then in May, Rubio reversed course. He endorsed the man he had mocked as “Big Donald” as a better choice than Hillary Clinton and faced heavy criticism for saying he’d be willing to speak up for the nominee at the Republican Convention.
Trump responded to the endorsement by urging Rubio to get back into the running for his Florida senate seat. Shortly thereafter, Rubio made a re-election announcement. He is favored to win the primary and may face off against controversial Democratic firebrand Rep. Alan Grayson.
In his absence, Rubio joins a list of prominent Republicans who will not show up at the convention this year. His campaign insists it’s nothing personal.
“Florida has always been a competitive state and it will be this Fall,” Rubio spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas told the Tampa Bay Times.
She added, “Since Marco got into the race late, he will be in Florida campaigning and meeting with voters instead of going to Ohio.”
Even if the decision isn’t the snub that it looks like, Rubio’s absence from Cleveland says he doesn’t think that being too close with Trump would help his reelection chances. That’s a calculation many incumbent Republicans are quietly weighing right now.
