Rubio Facing Do-Or-Die Primary Day
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is going into Tuesday's primary as an underdog to billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump.
Indeed, the first-term senator has been looking up at Trump in Florida preference polls for months.
Tuesday's presidential preference primary is a do-or-die home-state contest for Rubio who was among the Republican Party's biggest stars when he burst onto the national stage in the tea party wave of 2010.
Meantime, supporters in South Florida are holding out hope that he will win the primary.
Students from the campus Republican Club at Palm Beach Atlantic University prepared Monday for Rubio's visit.
"A lot of us, we just turned 18, this is our first time voting and so being able to participate this heavily and on a specific campaign is exciting as well because we get to rally support for our candidate and then actually go out and vote and give our support that way," said student Lauren Konkol.
Others wanted to see more candidates at the school.
"I think we need to have all parties hosted here. Even though he's from Florida and we have Trump on the island and we haven't seen him here, so it's annoying," said student Victoria Stinson.
Rubio is on a bus tour, doing meet and greets from Jacksonville to Miami ahead of Tuesday's primary.
He ended off the tour with a homecoming meet and greet at the City of West Miami Recreation Center at 9 p.m. on Monday.
The young senator arrived to a roaring and adoring crowd.
"I'm so grateful and honored to be a part of this. I can't wait to stand on stage tomorrow and give you thanks for helping us win Florida," he told the crowd.
Rubio choose to spend what could be his last night as a presidential candidate blocks away from where his political career started as a West Miami commissioner.
His homecoming didn't come without a little drama.
South Park producer Kenny Hotlz took to Rubio's truck to announce Rubio had no chance of winning. He was escorted out of the rally by West Miami police.
Then Rubio's sound system dropped out, so the veteran politician went old school and used bullhorn.
"Don't stay home. Make sure no one stays home. We don't know how close this going to be. But if it's close and it comes down to a few hundred votes it could be coming from our neighbors, our friends, our family. So let's make sure we get everyone to vote tomorrow," he said.
The Cuban-American's desire to become the nation's first Hispanic president, and his past support for a forgiving immigration policy, have failed to excite conservative primary voters who instead have flocked to Donald Trump's nativist politics.
"Marco's always had good timing. This time, the timing just wasn't there," said Albert Lorenzo, who managed Rubio's first state house campaign nearly two decades ago and stays in close contact with him.
Related: Clinton To Head Back To Florida For Primary
Yet Lorenzo, like those closest to Rubio, suggest that should his bid end in disappointment, the senator's career in public service is far from over. The 44-year-old Republican could run for Florida governor in two years, president in four years or even his own Senate seat later this year.
"He's a talent you don't find," Lorenzo said.
Despite long odds, Rubio insists he's focused only on winning his party's 2016 presidential nomination.
"I haven't even thought about what I'm having for lunch today, much less what I'm going to run for in two years or nothing at all," he told reporters in West Palm Beach this week.
"If I never hold public office again, I'm comfortable with that," Rubio continued. "I can't tell you what's going to happen two to four years from now. But I have no plans. No thoughts. No contemplation. No meetings. Nothing about any future political run of any sort."
Should his presidential bid end in disappointment, many who know him expect a political comeback, though those closest to Rubio believe he could turn to the private sector to help provide for his family.
With four school-age children, Rubio has struggled with his personal finances in recent years, cashing out a retirement account as recently as 2014 to upgrade home appliances and pay for school costs. The Republican would have such well-compensated options as becoming a media personality or joining a law firm.
He would also need to decide whether he wants to return to Capitol Hill.
Rubio has previously said he would not run for president and the Senate at the same time. An exit from the White House contest next week would give him plenty of time to qualify for another, albeit unlikely, Senate run.
The deadline to file the necessary paperwork isn't until late June. And Federal Election Commission rules allow him to transfer any unused money from his presidential campaign to a Senate campaign account, albeit with caveats about individual donor limits.
Rubio would also be a prime candidate to run for the open governor's seat being vacated by the term-limited Gov. Rick Scott in 2018. Such a move would give the senator's political standing at least a year to recover after a brutal 2016 campaign.
Some conservatives suggest that may not be enough time to resurrect his political brand, should Rubio suffer an embarrassing loss on Tuesday.
"I think a loss in Florida is very bad for Rubio's political future. It is hard to argue that Rubio is the right guy to run for governor of Florida if he couldn't win a presidential primary there," said Mark Meckler, a longtime leader in the national tea party movement. "Luckily, he's a bright man, a seemingly nice guy, and probably has a solid future in the private sector. And perhaps after a few years out, he can come back and run again."
Rubio could, of course, make another run for the White House in 2020 or beyond if he fails this year. The vast majority of recent Republican presidential nominees have not captured the nomination in their first attempts.
Rubio, who turns 45 years old in May, is the youngest of the remaining four 2016 contenders. His supporters note that Ronald Reagan was 69 when he assumed office.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
