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Marco Rubio's 2016 Chances Are Alive and Well
New Republic ^ | 08/02/2013 | Nate Cohn

Posted on 08/02/2013 9:51:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Senator Marco Rubio’s immigration reform effort is in danger. It might seem like his presidential ambitions are in trouble, too. His numbers are down; Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz are starting to dominate the media’s discussion of 2016. In response, Rubio seems desperate to reestablish his conservative credentials, even by associating with a losing fight to defund Obamacare. That knee-jerk response calls Rubio’s political instincts into question, but his presidential chances are still alive, even if his immigration effort is on life support.

Rubio’s immigration bid probably hurt him on the right, but Rubio was never a natural fit to be the Tea Party candidate. He’s neither instinctually ultra-conservative nor a firebreather. Instead, Rubio has the classic profile of a mainline conservative: His policies represent the consensus of the Republican Party (other than immigration), and he has the temperament of a mainstream candidate. Put differently, he’s a lot more like George W. Bush or Paul Ryan than Rick Santorum or Michelle Bachman. And so long as Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, or whoever else sought the allegiance of the far right, there probably wouldn’t be space for someone with Rubio’s disposition.

But it’s not so bad to be left out of the Tea Party. Yeah, you’d rather be a Tea Party candidate than a dreaded moderate, but the optimum Republican presidential candidate is a mainline conservative—someone who’s conservative enough for the Tea Party, doesn’t scare away the establishment, and doesn’t alienate either the religious or business wing of the party. From there, the candidate either needs to build a critical mass of support within the party (the so-called invisible primary), or go out on the ground and convince voters in Iowa or New Hampshire (while hoping that no other candidate wins the invisible primary).

(Excerpt) Read more at newrepublic.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016; 2016gopprimary; amnesty; marcorubio; naturalborncuban; rubio; rubio2016
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To: SeekAndFind
Can one run for VP and Congress at the same time?

Paul Ryan did in 2012.

And Lyndon Johnson did it in 1960. And Joe Lieberman did it in 2000. But there is a difference between that and running for president while also running for re-election to a lower office.

And in all three of those cases the candidate wasn't faced with a primary challenge. I don't think Rubio is going to have that luxury.

21 posted on 08/02/2013 10:06:53 AM PDT by 0.E.O
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To: All
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22 posted on 08/02/2013 10:07:10 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: SeekAndFind

Nate Cohn might be selling, but I ain’t buying! Fool me once...


23 posted on 08/02/2013 10:07:13 AM PDT by swamprebel (a Constitution once changed from Freedom, can never be restored.)
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To: SeekAndFind

It doesn’t matter WHO runs for either Party...the Dem’s will have the Amnesty and Black vote, the faggot/dyke vote, the “we control our bodies!” silly women’s vote, and the GOP-E will just have another RINO on the Ticket, who Conservatives will NOT VOTE FOR....effectively giving the (D) the Win, which makes no difference as far as Big Government and loss of Constituional Principles, anyway.


24 posted on 08/02/2013 10:07:38 AM PDT by traditional1 (Amerika.....Providing public housing for the Mulatto Messiah)
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To: SeekAndFind

Amnesty will be the final death blow to this country. I will NOT vote for someone who is too stupid to realize this or who is so evil they think it’s a good idea.


25 posted on 08/02/2013 10:09:05 AM PDT by Politicalmom (Modern "Peace Officer" motto-"We have to go home at night, we don't care if you do.")
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To: SeekAndFind

The problem is closed minds will never save the Republican party and those that fell for the destruction of Rubio by the communists Democrats and a few closet Democrats on FR has done the job. Rubio faced the real dilemma of what to do with illegals was right on. And I bet that most of the negatives on FR are those that cannot sort our the real problem and just BS. Rubio is not perfect but who is?


26 posted on 08/02/2013 10:09:53 AM PDT by Logical me
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To: Politicalmom

RE: I will NOT vote for someone who is too stupid to realize this or who is so evil they think it’s a good idea.

Good. Just remember that you’re gonna get this result whether you vote or not.


27 posted on 08/02/2013 10:09:55 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: cherry

“I’d vote for him..I like him...don’t like EVERYTHING he says, but for the most part, he’s right on...”

... and Benedict Arnold was a true American hero except for that traitor episode. Marco Rubio just skipped the hero part.


28 posted on 08/02/2013 10:10:32 AM PDT by Pelham (Deportation is the law. When it's not enforced you get California)
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To: SeekAndFind

Really?

And what makes you think you will get tex reform, etc? Just ‘cause he said so? Just like he did about Amnesty?

Riiiiight.


29 posted on 08/02/2013 10:11:19 AM PDT by Little Ray (How did I end up in this hand-basket, and why is it getting so hot?)
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To: cherry
I’d vote for him..I like him...don’t like EVERYTHING he says, but for the most part, he’s right on....

What a sickening and pathetic comment.

The fraudulent Conservative known as Rubio will NEVER get my vote. I will with great joy withhold my vote from this Mexican First scum if he is the nominee in 2012.

Rubio is nothing but a very smooth talking scummy politician. He's never had a real private sector job in his life.

Rubio is just a Statist fraud who parrots Conservative lines very well.

30 posted on 08/02/2013 10:11:34 AM PDT by sand88
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To: SeekAndFind

Not with me, they’re not.


31 posted on 08/02/2013 10:12:40 AM PDT by MortMan (Disarming the sheep only emboldens the wolves.)
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To: SeekAndFind

1) Rubio wins ( no thanks to those who stayed home ).
Well, then you still get amnesty. However, you’ll have tax reform, the elimination of Obamacare, Conservative judges, less spending, gun rights intact, stricter abortion laws and the strengthening of our military.

2) Hillary wins. In which case YOU TILL GET AMNESTY, NO tax reform, HIGHER TAXES, Obamacare stays, liberal judges, more gun control, more liberal abortion laws, and the gutting of our military.

So, which is better?

And remember, when conservatives stay home, #2 will be the more likely scenario.


WRONG. There was no amnesty plank in the GOP platform and yet a few months later the beltway GOP was hitting us with their amnesty blitzkrieg.

The fact is we have no clue what we will get from Rubio if he is elected POTUS. He has shown he takes his orders from K Street and not main street. Support those corporatist pigs if you wish. I won’t.


32 posted on 08/02/2013 10:13:20 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: Artcore

rush said it best (the menSmen) media has pushed the lie that republican need swing voters. They have done NOTHING to seek or attract their base or non-voters.


33 posted on 08/02/2013 10:13:27 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: SeekAndFind; stephenjohnbanker; ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas; Tennessee Nana; Liz; TADSLOS; ...
From link :”Such a candidate isn’t necessarily an obvious favorite in Iowa or the other caucus states but a mainline conservative with strong credentials on cultural issues and who can speak the language of the religious right could win Iowa. And after Iowa, you’d rather be a mainline conservative than a tea partier. New Hampshire, Florida, Michigan, and potentially South Carolina (if the religious right is satisfied on cultural issues), would all prefer a mainline conservative to a Tea Party candidate. History makes it clear that mainline Republicans tend to win the nomination.
So Marco Rubio’s positioning isn’t so bad. Immigration might weaken his appeal with a few Republicans, but it doesn’t look like it was a death blow. Rubio’s unfavorables aren’t very high, and John McCain came back from worse. And doing the bidding of the business-wing of the GOP is generally a pretty good idea—it’s probably the most important wing of the “invisible primary,” worth plenty of fundraising dollars. Conversely, Rubio’s stock would have taken a hit if he didn’t help advance immigration reform. It’s unclear whether Rubio ought to have taken a lead on immigration reform, especially in retrospect, but Rubio still has relatively broad appeal within the party. “

And its plays out again, and again..

From the beginning of Rubio’s scam I been posting that those who say that Rubio’s 2016 chances have died are gliding on wishful thinking.

Looks like Rubio’s picked a single moral issue to be against: abortion.

Rubio says we better defund Obama care BEFORE Americans get the freebees from it, well how about before illegals who get his amnesty get the bennies from it?? Does he really think that most Hispanics want O-care defunded??

34 posted on 08/02/2013 10:13:30 AM PDT by sickoflibs (To GOP : Any path to US Citizenship IS putting them ahead in line. Stop lying about your position.)
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To: Logical me

RE: Rubio is not perfect but who is?

As I said before.... for a lot of conservatives, IMMIGRATION is *THE* one issue that they will consider when they look at a candidate. This disqualifies Rubio, rand Paul and Paul Ryan outright.

Yes, it’s 100% immigration or bust.

Ignore abortion, tax reform, smaller government, less pending, the repeal of Obamacare, constitutional judges, etc.

It’s IMMIGRATION. FULL STOP. If you are on the wrong side of this issue, the others don’t count (even when you’re on the right side).


35 posted on 08/02/2013 10:13:36 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: cherry

He’s right on on issues that have no chance whatsoever of becoming law or have any chance on having any effect on anything at all.

On THE ISSUE that has a good chance of passing and pulling the rug out from under the feet of every citizen of this country and potentially ending America, he’s a ***damned traitorous bastard, and that is what counts.

The only thing that being good on everything else means is that he is a typical phoney baloney conservative commonly found within the GOP.


36 posted on 08/02/2013 10:14:52 AM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: Logical me

Stuck on stupid much?

Rubio wrecked his own future.

The law is that foreign nationals squatting here illegally are to be deported. The refusal of political hacks to enforce the law wrecked California.

Rubio would extend the damage to the rest of the country.


37 posted on 08/02/2013 10:15:05 AM PDT by Pelham (Deportation is the law. When it's not enforced you get California)
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To: SeekAndFind

Marco Rubio’s 2016 Chances Are Alive and Well...

Not in my house!


38 posted on 08/02/2013 10:15:34 AM PDT by Java4Jay (The evils of government are directly proportional to the tolerance of the people.)
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To: SeekAndFind
And remember, when conservatives stay home, #2 will be the more likely scenario.

Yup, and Hillery will get the majority of votes. Republicans will never understand that this is not a perfect world and WE MUST LEARN THAT VOTING FOR THE LESSER OF THE EVIL will be better than hell. Can't believe the stupidly of so many on FR. Romney would have ditched the FEDERAL Obamacare. Screw some of the negatives since this Obamacare will destroy America. Some voters on FR need to grow up!

39 posted on 08/02/2013 10:15:38 AM PDT by Logical me
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To: lodi90

RE: Support those corporatist pigs if you wish. I won’t.

As I said before, all we need is more people who think like this and we’ll have another President Clinton in 2016.


40 posted on 08/02/2013 10:15:41 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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