PERSON: Marco Rubio

Senator

Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is the junior United States senator from Florida, serving since January 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (2007–2009).

A Cuban-American native of Miami, Fla., Rubio is a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Miami Law School. In the late 1990s, he served as a City Commissioner for West Miami and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000, representing the 111th House district. He was elected Speaker in November 2006.

Rubio announced a run for U.S. Senate in May 2009 after incumbent Republican Mel Martinez resigned. Initially trailing by double-digits against the incumbent Republican Governor Charlie Crist, Rubio eventually surpassed him in polling for the Republican nomination. Rubio won the Republican nomination after Crist opted instead for an independent run. In a three-way split against Crist and Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek, Rubio won the general election in November 2010 with 48.9 percent of the vote.

The term “crown prince of the Tea Party movement” has been used both as praise and ridicule, although Rubio has no direct connection to that movement. While it was reported in June 2012 that Mitt Romney was vetting Rubio as a possible running mate, Romney ultimately selected Paul Ryan. Rubio gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address.

— Wikipedia