Marco Antonio Rubio born May 28, 1971 is an American politician and attorney currently serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a position he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, Rubio previously served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2008. He ran for the Republican nomination for President in 2016, securing primary victories in Minnesota, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, but ultimately lost to Donald Trump.
Marco Rubio Biography 2024
Born in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Rubio’s political career began after he was elected to represent Florida’s 111th district in the state House of Representatives in 2000. He later became Speaker of the House, serving from 2006 to 2008. After leaving the state legislature due to term limits, Rubio briefly taught at Florida International University. In 2010, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in a three-way race, and in 2016, he ran for president before ultimately returning to the Senate after suspending his campaign. Rubio has been a staunch supporter of former President Trump, despite initially criticizing him during the 2016 Republican primaries. Rubio’s influence over U.S. policy on Latin America during the Trump administration earned him the title of a “virtual secretary of state for Latin America.” He was re-elected to a third Senate term in 2022, defeating Democratic challenger Val Demings, and endorsed Trump for re-election in 2024.
Marco Rubio Biography Details
| Born | Marco Antonio Rubio May 28, 1971 (age 53)
Miami, Florida, U.S. |
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| Political party | Republican |
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| Spouse | Jeanette Dousdebes (m. 1998) |
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| Children | 4 |
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| Education | Tarkio College
Santa Fe College
University of Florida (BA)
University of Miami (JD) |
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Marco Rubio Early Life
Marco Rubio was born in Miami, Florida, as the second son of Cuban immigrants Mario Rubio Reina and Oriales (née Garcia) Rubio. His parents, who arrived in the U.S. in 1956, were not U.S. citizens at the time of his birth but became naturalized in 1975. Rubio’s maternal grandfather, Pedro Victor Garcia, immigrated to the U.S. legally in 1956 but was detained as an undocumented immigrant when he returned to Cuba in 1959 and then fled back to the U.S. in 1962. Rubio grew up closely connected to his Cuban roots, with his grandfather playing a significant role in his upbringing.
While Rubio has often spoken about his family’s immigration story, some of his earlier claims regarding his parents’ escape from Cuba during the 1959 Cuban Revolution were later revealed to be inaccurate. Rubio’s family had actually left Cuba in 1956, under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, before Fidel Castro’s rise to power. In 2011, Rubio clarified the discrepancy, stating that his public statements were based on “family lore” rather than historical accuracy. Rubio has three siblings and grew up in a Catholic family, although he and his family attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during their time in Nevada before returning to Miami.
Rubio graduated from South Miami Senior High School in 1989 and went on to attend Tarkio College in Missouri on a football scholarship. After a year, he transferred to Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida, before completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at the University of Florida in 1993. Rubio earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996, graduating cum laude. He incurred $100,000 in student loans, which he fully paid off by 2012.
Early Political Career
Aspect | Details |
Position | City Commissioner for West Miami |
Term | 1990s |
Political Party | Republican |
Main Focus | Local government, public policy |
Election | Elected to Florida House in 2000 |
District | 111th district |
Legislative Focus | Tax cuts, early childhood education |
Florida House Leadership
Aspect | Points |
Position | Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives |
Term | 2006 – 2008 |
Preceded by | Allan Bense |
Succeeded by | Ray Sansom |
Main Policy Focus | Education reform, government spending cuts |
Leadership Style | Conservative, fiscal responsibility |
Florida House Voting Record
Aspect | Details |
Key Legislation | Education reform, tax cuts |
Party Alignment | Strongly aligned with the Republican Party |
Committees | Education, Appropriations |
Major Achievements | Reduced state budget, pushed for education reform |
U.S. Senate Election Results (2010)
Aspect | Year |
Position | U.S. Senator from Florida |
Election Year | 2010 |
Opponent(s) | Charlie Crist, Kendrick Meek |
Party | Republican |
Result | Elected with 48.89% of the vote |
Key Issues | Economic growth, healthcare reform, taxes |
Senate Re-election (2016)
Aspect | Details |
Position | U.S. Senator from Florida |
Election Year | 2016 |
Opponent | Patrick Murphy |
Party | Republican |
Result | Re-elected with 51.98% of the vote |
Main Issues | National security, immigration reform |
Senate Re-election
Aspect | Details |
Position | U.S. Senator from Florida |
Election Year | 2022 |
Opponent | Val Demings |
Party | Republican |
Result | Re-elected with 57.68% of the vote |
Main Issues | Economic recovery, foreign policy, healthcare reform |
Presidential Primary Results
Aspect | Details |
Election Year | 2016 |
Candidates | Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio |
Rubio’s Votes | 11.27% of the vote |
Key States Won | Minnesota, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico |
Main Focus | Economic growth, foreign policy, national security |
Republican National Convention Delegate Count (2016)
Aspect | Details |
Candidates | Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio |
Rubio’s Delegates | 173 delegates (7% of total) |
Trump’s Delegates | 1,441 delegates (58.3% of total) |
Cruz’s Delegates | 551 delegates (22.3% of total) |
Rubio Role in Latin America Policy
Aspect | Details |
Position | U.S. Senator |
Main Focus | Latin America, Cuba, Venezuela |
Key Policies | Strong opposition to Cuban regime, sanctions on Venezuela |
Influence | Described as “virtual secretary of state for Latin America” during Trump’s presidency |
Rubio’s Influence on U.S. Foreign Policy
Aspect | Details |
Focus Areas | Latin America, Cuba, Venezuela |
Collaboration | Worked with Trump administration to tighten sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela |
Major Accomplishments | Advocated for increased pressure on authoritarian regimes in the Western Hemisphere |
Family Life
Aspect | Details |
Spouse | Jeanette Dousdebes |
Children | 4 children |
Religion | Catholic |
Residence | West Miami, Florida |
Education
Aspect | Details |
High School | South Miami Senior High School |
College | Tarkio College, Santa Fe College |
Undergraduate Degree | Bachelor of Arts, University of Florida |
Law Degree | Juris Doctor, University of Miami |
Rubio Financial History
History | Facts |
Net Worth | Negative net worth (over $1.8 million in debt) |
Financial Issues | Real estate investments, student loans |
Financial Transparency | Financial disclosures made through 2018 |
Marco Rubio Net Worth
Marco Rubio’s net worth is $11 million USD.
Marco Rubio Summary
Marco Rubio, born in 1971 to Cuban immigrant parents in Miami, is the senior U.S. senator from Florida, serving since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he rose to prominence as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. Rubio ran for president in 2016 but returned to the Senate after losing the Republican nomination to Donald Trump. Known for his expertise in Latin American policy, Rubio has been a leading voice on U.S. foreign affairs. He was re-elected in 2016 and 2022, continuing to advocate for conservative policies on immigration, national security, and economic growth.
