THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Marco Rubio, a young Tea Party-backed Republican, was last night elected Senator for Florida - and gave an acceptance speech fuelling speculation that he could one day be US president.
Mr Rubio, the 39-year-old son of Cuban exiles, comfortably beat Charlie Crist, the outgoing Republican state governor, who he forced to run as an independent.
He told hundreds of supporters at a rally in Coral Gables: “Our nation is headed in the wrong direction and both parties are to blame.”
Conceding the night’s results were not an endorsement of his party, Mr Rubio said they offered “a second chance for Republicans to be what they said they were going to be.”
Nonetheless he promised the “clear and genuine alternative” he said American voters had shown they wanted over [sic?] the agenda followed by Barack Obama since 2008.
Supporters hailed Mr Rubio’s win as a victory for “common-sense conservatism”. Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida, welcomed him to the stage with an impassioned introduction.
“Marco Rubio makes me cry for joy,” Mr Bush said. “We need great leaders who can lift the cloud above us.'' >>> Jon Swaine in Miami | Wednesday, November 03, 2010
