U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was passed over as former President Donald Trump’s VP pick this week for Ohio’s J.D. Vance. However, political watchers are saying the pick doesn’t spell the end of Rubio’s political aspirations.
There were plenty of downsides to Rubio being Trump’s VP pick. Both men calling Florida home would have been a violation of the constitution, meaning one of them would have had to establish residency in another state. Additionally, Rubio’s strength in Florida would have offered little to Trump electorally, as the former president is currently leading Biden in the polls in the sunshine state by more than 8 points.
Justin Sayfie, a Republican lobbyist who attended the RNC, said the selection of Vance is not a snub on Rubio, but due to the strength of Vance as an option. He said Vance’s youth and strength in the Midwest was likely the difference maker.
“The presidency will be decided in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. So JD Vance will be able to spend lots of campaign time in those Midwestern states, and if Trump Vance ticket is able to win one or more of those states, they will win the White House,” he said.
And just because Rubio wasn’t selected for VP, doesn’t mean he won’t have a role in a potential Trump administration. Susan MacManus, a political analyst and convention attendee, said conversations in Milwaukee are focused on how Rubio makes sense as a foreign policy role in the next Republican White House because of his extensive experience in the area in Congress.
“The common thought here, is that he may be offered Secretary of State for his foreign policy knowledge, it would be good for the Republicans to have someone that better understands South America, which is now becoming a big ground for Chinese and Iranians and other groups moving in there,” she said.
Rubio himself seems to have taken the decision in stride. Hours after Trump announced his selection, Rubio sent out a fundraising email supporting the Trump/Vance ticket. UCF Political Science Professor Aubrey Jewett said that move is likely an attempt to stay in Trump’s good graces.
“Rubio specifically wants to make sure that the Trump and the Trump team knows that he holds no hard feelings, and he still wants them to win, and that by doing that, it helps keep him more viable, not only for spot in the administration, but in the future, more viable for a run for President,” he said.
Jewett doesn’t believe being passed over has hurt Rubio’s political career. However, he does believe the elevation of Vance has constructed a road block in Governor Ron DeSantis’ future higher office aspirations.
“I think that hurts him, because you get this young, very outspoken, Trump loving, guy who's part of the who's totally converted to the Maga movement, and he does not have the baggage of having challenged Trump,” he said.
Sayfie said Vance’s selection as VP could give him the inside track in future Republican Presidential primaries, as he can be viewed as Trump’s pick for the successor to the MAGA movement.
“Because of the fact that JD Vance is so young, because of the fact that Donald Trump is term limited to one term, it's possible that the two people on the current ticket will be on the future tickets of the Republican Party until 2036, which is pretty, pretty remarkable,” he said.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said he views Trump’s selection of Vance as the anointing of who the former president wants to lead Republicans. She’s glad it isn’t DeSantis.
“His political future is over. He has no path. You know that the people across this country rejected the Maga extremism, they rejected the six-week abortion ban, they rejected the on all-out assault on our education and book banning, and so now that Trump has given the nod to J.D. that he is going to be Maga 2.0, I truly don't know where Ron goes from here. And quite honestly, on behalf of myself as a Floridian, it couldn't happen to a nicer person,” she said.
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