Marco Rubio: Five Key Insights
US President-elect Donald Trump has officially announced Marco Rubio as his selection for Secretary of State. Here are five essential facts to know about this prominent Republican figure from Florida, who is currently serving his third term in the US Senate.
1. Son of Cuban Immigrants
Born in Miami in 1971, Rubio, now 53, represents the quintessential American success story. As the son of Cuban immigrants—his father was a bartender and his mother worked as a hotel maid—Rubio has often highlighted his working-class roots. His journey from humble beginnings to becoming a US senator is a testament to the American dream. Despite his Catholic faith, Rubio spent a significant portion of his childhood in Las Vegas, where he was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and attended Mormon services. His family returned to Miami when he was 14 years old, deeply influencing his cultural and political identity.
2. College Football Aspirations and a Cheerleading Union
A passionate football aficionado, Rubio had dreams of making it to the NFL during his high school years. Although he received offers from only a couple of colleges, he chose to attend the lesser-known Tarkio College in Missouri, a small institution in a town of fewer than 2,000 residents. Unfortunately, due to injury and financial difficulties at the college, he opted to transfer and eventually graduated from the University of Florida and the University of Miami School of Law. In a twist of fate, he became engaged to Jeanette Dousdebes, a talented cheerleader who made the Miami Dolphins squad. The couple married in 1998 and now shares the joys of raising four children together.
3. A Near Miss for Florida’s Attorney General
Rubio’s political career began in the Florida House of Representatives, where he held positions of leadership, including Majority Leader and Speaker. In 2010, he emerged as a surprising candidate for the Republican Senate nomination against then-Governor Charlie Crist. Despite pressure from party leaders to withdraw and pursue the attorney general position instead, Rubio remained steadfast in his commitment to the Senate race. His determination paid off as he won his first term and was subsequently re-elected in 2016 and 2022.
4. Presidential Aspirations and Rivalry with Trump in 2016
In 2016, Rubio entered the highly competitive presidential race, facing off against a crowded Republican field that included Donald Trump. He managed to secure victories in Minnesota, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, but ultimately lost to Trump in Florida, his home state, where Trump garnered 45.7% of the vote compared to Rubio’s 27%. The campaign was marked by a series of sharp exchanges between the two, with Trump referring to Rubio as “Little Marco” while Rubio labeled Trump a “con artist” and mocked his hand size. However, after Trump assumed the presidency, their relationship evolved, with Rubio downplaying his previous remarks as mere campaign rhetoric and even campaigning alongside Trump in the lead-up to the election.
5. Advocacy Against Foreign Threats, Particularly from China
Marco Rubio first gained national prominence in 2010 by capitalizing on the tea party movement, strongly opposing President Barack Obama and the Democratic-led Congress over their economic policies. As the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio frequently addresses national security issues, especially the growing military and economic threats posed by China. He has warned that nations such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia are increasingly collaborating to undermine the United States. “They all share one goal, and that is to weaken America, diminish our alliances, and erode our global standing,” he asserted in a speech last March.
