Why Democrats Are Worried Marco Rubio as Trump Veep Could Sink Biden’s Bid

The traditional Cinco de Mayo event that brings Latino VIPs and administration allies into the White House created the usual buzz of meeting old friends and taking selfies with celebrities, including Marvel Xochitl Gomez And Ted Lasso‘S Cristo Fernández. But it was also a comfortable affair, partly due to a sense of silence among Democrats in attendance, who didn’t exactly feel optimistic about Joe Biden‘S opportunity in November.

Few conversations reflected this state of optimistic vigilance better than those in the Rose Garden, where many Latino Democrats expressed concern that Sen. Marco Rubio could enhance the momentum of the election if elected Donald Trumpvice presidential candidate.

To be sure, there is one major obstacle: the fact that Rubio and Trump both reside in Florida. (The 12th Amendment to the Constitution prevents voters from voting for a president and vice president who live in the same state without losing that state’s electoral votes.) In theory, Rubio could solve the problem. This topic simply by moving, like Marc Caputo note, which could open a Pandora’s box of litigation that Rubio will have to fend off. But the mere notion of the first Latino vice president being a Cuban-American Republican was enough to get Hispanic Democrats to reach out to Tums.

“This will be the first Latino nominated to the second highest office in the land,” said one Cinco de Mayo attendee. “That would be a problem.”

“Rubio is normal,” a second White House guest said, suggesting that the senator could help the former president connect with a much broader base of voters. “He allowed Trump to present his case to Latinos directly, in a way that he couldn’t do himself.”

The harsh reality for Biden’s reelection campaign is that the president needs more goodwill among Latinos—more. Poll suggest he is stronger with Spanish speakers than with predominantly English-speaking Hispanics. That may be why recently the president agency re-establishing a relationship with Univision, America’s largest Spanish-language network, causing him to sit for a long time after the network gave Trump a widely criticized song softball interview in November. But a Rubio vice presidential nomination could represent a major turning point in Biden’s Spanish-language media forays, giving Trump a weapon he’s never had before. here: a bilingual, bicultural MAGA minister who can switch seamlessly from English to Spanish, sharing the campaign message directly with voters.

Carlos Trujillo, who served in the U.S. State Department under Trump, called Rubio — whom he has known for more than a decade, both having been involved in Republican politics in Florida — “uniquely qualified ” to become vice president. “He gives President Trump the ability to reach out more aggressively to the Hispanic community,” he said, adding that polling shows Republicans perform better with Latinos and Rubio “extends those margins because he will be the only person on stage who can speak native Spanish.” .”

“He can speak policy relatively well, in both English and Spanish, no lag, no dropouts,” repeat Jorge Bonilla—a longtime conservative watchdog of networks like Telemundo and Univision, currently hosts a radio show on Radio Libre 790 in Miami, Florida. “In essence, he is the apex predator of elected officials—no one else can do that.”

Rubio, who is said to be on Trump’s Vice President shortlist – although not as low as the one put forward by Trump. Nickname may suggest—recently featured on NBC News’ Meet the press with Kristen Welker to show Trump proof of concept: Him denied pledge to accept the 2024 election results and address debunked allegations of voter fraud, including that liberal groups have buy votes in Georgia for $10 a vote and hundreds illegal containers was used in Wisconsin in 2020. All of this has set off alarm bells among Latino Democrats and progressive leaders, who are concerned that the senator could do Saturate the airwaves of Univision and Telemundo with the same lies as Trump’s running mate.

“We know misinformation has spread, especially targeting the Latino community in the United States, and what Rubio can do is continue to misinform the community,” said Sindy Benavides, president and CEO of the Latino Victory Project, which works to elect Latino Democrats. Benavides, who was at the Cinco de Mayo event, also noted that Rubio’s selection would send a clear message about the importance of the Latino vote, while also showing that “Trump is pandering to Latino community”.

While securing the vice presidential nomination would be a pinnacle of Rubio’s political career, it could come at a high personal and professional cost. A source with knowledge of Rubio’s thinking emphasized that the senator is considering how the move might impact his family, as well as his duties in Congress, where he holds a seat. privileged position as vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee—and could help Trump from his Senate position if the former president wins.

There’s also reason for Rubio to be concerned about losing Trump’s good graces. Kristian Ramos, a Democratic strategist working with the Biden administration to sell its economic record, points to Trump’s handling of Jan. 6 as reports show Mike Pence are in grave danger from pro-Trump rioters. “I don’t know why Rubio wanted that job,” Ramos said. “The last one was his vice president, he almost got killed.”

Among the Cinco de Mayo attendees, who were enjoying steak tostadas, ceviche and guacamole, there was also another uncomfortable topic of discussion: whether Rubio, as opposed to a white man running as Does Pence, serve as a tougher debate opponent? for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“He’s a skilled debater and he’s black, so he brings something different to the debate with Kamala Harris,” said a fourth attendee. “One unique thing is, after the debate, he was able to talk on Univision about how he did. The ability to speak directly to voters in Spanish will always hurt us more than a white person.”

For his part, Trujillo blamed Democrats for putting himself in a position that would make Rubio such a big threat in a debate. “It would be great if the side of quote, unquote, ‘inclusion’ could speak Spanish and defend their position. I don’t know anyone on their farm team who could do that,” he said. “There is no policy more harmful than their border policy. Kamala disappeared as border czar. What ever happened to immigration reform?”

However, Maria Cardona, a CNN commentator and Democrat close to the White House, took a different tone, suggesting that Harris would eat Rubio’s lunch in a televised cage match. “His biggest obstacle, when it comes to brass tacks, is that he will have to defend the extremism of dirty, disgusting MAGA politics,” she said.

Cardona noted that the White House and the Biden campaign do not fear Rubio as Trump’s VP because he has betrayed his own principles on issues like immigration and has no impact regarding the Latino community outside of Florida and predominantly Mexican American. “Marco Rubio has no connection to Latino communities, such as those in the Southwest, Arizona and Nevada, and they certainly don’t consider him one of their own,” she argued.