Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016

The 2016 presidential campaign of Marco Rubio, who is currently the senior United States senator from Florida, was formally announced on April 13, 2015, at an event at the Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami. Early polling showed Rubio, who was considered a potential candidate for Vice President by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, as a frontrunner candidate for the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2016 since at least the end of the 2012 election. Rubio was the second Cuban American to run for president of the United States, with Republican Ted Cruz announcing his campaign three weeks earlier. He suspended his campaign on March 15, 2016, after finishing second in Florida's primary. Background 2012 presidential election As early as January 2011, there had been speculation that he might seek the office of the president or vice-president. In January 2011, Rubio stated he had no interest in being the vice-presidential candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Despite his comments, speculation continued that presidential candidate Mitt Romney might select Rubio as his running mate. According to the book Double Down, Romney's campaign narrowed down his list of potential nominees for vice president to five candidates, one of which was Rubio. However, Romney ultimately picked Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan.