First, Sen. Ted Cruz (R- TX) formally announced his candidacy. Then Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) held consecutive Texas fundraisers in support of his super PAC's, all but assuring Bush's impending presidential run.
Now, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is making an announcement of his own, though it not the one GOP strategists were expecting. Not yet, anyway.
"I will announce on April 13th what I'm going to do next in terms of running for president or the U.S. Senate," Rubio said on Fox News. "This nation's in need of leadership that understand this new era and has new ideas for a new age."
Rubio didn't elaborate other than to discuss his vision for the future for the country.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Rubio has reserved the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami for the undisclosed event. Ironically, the tower used to be a processing center for Cuban refugees escaping Communist dictator Fidel Castro. It also houses the Cuban American Museum and the MDC Museum of Art and Design.
Rubio, the son of parents who emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in 1956, may have selected the Freedom Tower specifically for these reasons.
Once a supporter of immigration reform, Rubio has flip flopped on the issue recently telling a conservative crowd that his priority is securing the border.
"You have 10 or 12 million people in this country, many of whom have lived here for longer than a decade, have not otherwise violated our laws other than immigration laws. I get all that. But what I've learned is you can't even have a conversation about that until people believe and know, not just believe, but it's proven to them, that future illegal immigration will be controlled," Cruz told the audience at February's CPAC convention.
Some argue Rubio may have alienated both Latinos and Republicans, if not those who fit in both categories. In January 2013, the Cuban American senator backed a proposed pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The plan included paying fines and back taxes, a background check, and a lengthy probation period.
As his year-long run-up to potential candidacy continued, his stance leaded toward more conservative ideals. The frequent shifts have played a part in modestly appealing to the GOP voter base. A recent CNN/ORC poll has Rubio with a seven percent approval rating among potential voters, and a PPP poll released Feb. 24 ties Rubio in last place with Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) among Republican candidates.
Rubio has travelled to primary states over the last few weeks, reaching out to donors and supporter in order to get a feel for how much support he would garner.
April will be a busy month for aspiring candidates. Bush is expected to make an announcement on April 7th and former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton (D- N.Y.) should follow soon after.
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