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| Marco Rubio ends presidential bid after Donald Trump takes Florida | Marco Rubio ends presidential bid after Donald Trump takes Florida |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Marco Rubio, the Florida senator hailed in the aftermath of the 2012 election as the Republican party’s likely “savior”, suspended his bid to become the first Latino president of the United States on Tuesday. | Marco Rubio, the Florida senator hailed in the aftermath of the 2012 election as the Republican party’s likely “savior”, suspended his bid to become the first Latino president of the United States on Tuesday. |
| Speaking in his hometown of Miami, Rubio congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the Florida primary. “It was a big win,” he said. | Speaking in his hometown of Miami, Rubio congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the Florida primary. “It was a big win,” he said. |
| Rubio added: “People are angry and people are very frustrated,” before being interrupted by a protester. “Don’t worry, he won’t get beat up at our event,” he said. | Rubio added: “People are angry and people are very frustrated,” before being interrupted by a protester. “Don’t worry, he won’t get beat up at our event,” he said. |
| “These changes to our economy are disrupting people’s lives,” he continued. “There are millions of people in this country that are tired of being looked down upon.” | “These changes to our economy are disrupting people’s lives,” he continued. “There are millions of people in this country that are tired of being looked down upon.” |
| He attacked the political establishment and said that after eight years of Barack Obama the US needed a strong Republican party and a “vibrant conservative movement ... built on principles and ideas, not on fear”. | He attacked the political establishment and said that after eight years of Barack Obama the US needed a strong Republican party and a “vibrant conservative movement ... built on principles and ideas, not on fear”. |
| “The politics of resentment against other people will not just leave us a fractured party,” Rubio said, “they will leave us a fractured nation. | “The politics of resentment against other people will not just leave us a fractured party,” Rubio said, “they will leave us a fractured nation. |
| “After tonight it is clear that while we are on the right side this year we will not be on the winning side ... Today my campaign is suspended.” | “After tonight it is clear that while we are on the right side this year we will not be on the winning side ... Today my campaign is suspended.” |
| He told his supporters of his loss: “There was nothing more you could have done.” | |
| Rubio, whose immigrant parents have been at the heart of his personal story, also spoke of his mother, who arrived in the US in 1956 with little education and neither money nor connections. | |
| “In this country, on this day, my mother, who’s now 85 years old, was able to cast a ballot for her son to be the president of the United States of America,” Rubio said. | |
| Although not unexpected, Rubio’s inability to carry his home state served as the final nail in the coffin of a campaign caught perennially on the cusp of breaking through, but falling under the weight of its own expectations. Rubio had, in recent weeks, suffered bruising losses in key primary contests that placed the senator well behind rivals Trump and Texas senator Ted Cruz. | Although not unexpected, Rubio’s inability to carry his home state served as the final nail in the coffin of a campaign caught perennially on the cusp of breaking through, but falling under the weight of its own expectations. Rubio had, in recent weeks, suffered bruising losses in key primary contests that placed the senator well behind rivals Trump and Texas senator Ted Cruz. |
| Florida marked the last stand not simply for the 44-year-old senator, but also for a party seeking a consensus alternative to Trump. It was a mantle Rubio himself embraced in the final weeks of his campaign, although in part to his detriment. | Florida marked the last stand not simply for the 44-year-old senator, but also for a party seeking a consensus alternative to Trump. It was a mantle Rubio himself embraced in the final weeks of his campaign, although in part to his detriment. |
| A series of personal attacks Rubio made against Trump, while hardly the sole reason for his failure, helped propel the senator’s campaign into a downward spiral from which he never quite recovered. As Floridians took to the polls, Rubio expressed regret over his uncharacteristically lowbrow tone and acknowledged he had embarrassed his wife, children and the supporters who looked to him as a role model. | A series of personal attacks Rubio made against Trump, while hardly the sole reason for his failure, helped propel the senator’s campaign into a downward spiral from which he never quite recovered. As Floridians took to the polls, Rubio expressed regret over his uncharacteristically lowbrow tone and acknowledged he had embarrassed his wife, children and the supporters who looked to him as a role model. |
| Rubio’s campaign was launched last April at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami. Standing 11 months ago in the building that once served as the landing place for millions of refugees fleeing Cuba in the 1960s, Rubio entered the race with immediate comparisons drawn to another young, eloquent orator: Barack Obama. | Rubio’s campaign was launched last April at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami. Standing 11 months ago in the building that once served as the landing place for millions of refugees fleeing Cuba in the 1960s, Rubio entered the race with immediate comparisons drawn to another young, eloquent orator: Barack Obama. |
| His biggest obstacle then was Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and Rubio’s one-time ally. In the end, neither of the state’s favorite sons proved a match for Trump and the grassroots anger fueling the business magnate’s campaign. | His biggest obstacle then was Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and Rubio’s one-time ally. In the end, neither of the state’s favorite sons proved a match for Trump and the grassroots anger fueling the business magnate’s campaign. |
| Speaking to the Guardian on the evening before his presidential bid arrived at its close, Rubio warned of a dire road ahead if Republicans failed to recognize the perils of a Trump nomination. | Speaking to the Guardian on the evening before his presidential bid arrived at its close, Rubio warned of a dire road ahead if Republicans failed to recognize the perils of a Trump nomination. |
| “If we’re going to be the party of fear, we’re going to spend some time in the wilderness,” Rubio said. “If we’re the party of fear, with a candidate who basically is trying to prey upon people’s fears to get them to vote for them, I think we’re going to pay a big price in November and beyond.” | “If we’re going to be the party of fear, we’re going to spend some time in the wilderness,” Rubio said. “If we’re the party of fear, with a candidate who basically is trying to prey upon people’s fears to get them to vote for them, I think we’re going to pay a big price in November and beyond.” |
| If elected, Trump would not have the respect of allies around the globe, Rubio warned. | If elected, Trump would not have the respect of allies around the globe, Rubio warned. |
| “I think he’s already an embarrassment,” Rubio said. “People around the world are watching this debate and this campaign and wondering what’s happening here, because the things he says are nonsensical. | “I think he’s already an embarrassment,” Rubio said. “People around the world are watching this debate and this campaign and wondering what’s happening here, because the things he says are nonsensical. |
| “When you’re the most powerful and important nation on earth, you’re not always going to be popular,” he added. “But the question is, are you respected? And I don’t think Donald Trump is going to be respected.” | “When you’re the most powerful and important nation on earth, you’re not always going to be popular,” he added. “But the question is, are you respected? And I don’t think Donald Trump is going to be respected.” |
| He added: “I don’t know how this is all going to end. This is uncharted territory. But from my mind, the Republican party has a very important decision to make: Are we going to be the party of fear or the party of optimism?” | He added: “I don’t know how this is all going to end. This is uncharted territory. But from my mind, the Republican party has a very important decision to make: Are we going to be the party of fear or the party of optimism?” |