Thursday saw only more fuel added to the fire as Rubio set up a super-PAC to help his White House ambitions. The Associated Press reported on Thursday that Rubio will get the help of Conservative Solutions PAC to support his presidential campaign. Super-PACs played a large role in the 2012 presidential race and all signs show they will remain influential in the 2016 campaign.
Conservative Solutions will be led by veteran Republican strategist Warren Tompkins while Jon Graham will be handling fundraising and Jeff Sadosky will lead communications efforts.
Later this month, Rubio will be heading to New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary.
I'm looking forward to being in Nashua later this month where I'll be speaking at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit, Rubio announced last week. He will join more than a dozen other possible contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, including former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., at the event which will be held from April 17-18.
If Rubio enters the presidential race as expected, there will be a major impact in Florida politics. Rubio has been adamant that he will not run for a second term in the U.S. Senate in 2016 if he launches a presidential bid and his refusal to run for both offices has garnered some national attention.
With Rubio out of the picture, politicians from both parties are starting to test the waters for a Senate bid. On the Republican side, state CFO Jeff Atwater is expected to run for the Senate if Rubio opts for the presidency. Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and former Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford are also looking at running for the Republican nomination. Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation -- including U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, Curt Clawson, Ron DeSantis and Tom Rooney -- have also garnered some notice as possible Senate candidates.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., got in the race at the end of last month and he says he will remain in the contest even if Rubio decides to run for a second term. U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., is considering entering the contest as well.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
