News & Politics

The New Guard: Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio

US Senator

In his failed bid for the presidency, Mitt Romney lost among women and young people, but nothing hurt more than his record-low support among Latinos, who voted for Barack Obama over Romney 71 to 27 percent.

Many Republicans are turning to Marco Rubio, Florida’s junior senator, as their greatest hope for reclaiming the White House in 2016. Rubio’s Cuban heritage, charisma, and immigration stance have made him one of the GOP’s rare popular figures among Latinos. He has advocated a version of the DREAM Act, and after Romney conceded, Rubio proclaimed, “Republicans need to work harder than ever to communicate our beliefs” to immigrant communities. Even if he doesn’t run, Rubio is central to the next generation of a less white, younger GOP.

View all of the Washingtonian’s picks for people shaping our nation’s capital.

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