The rise of Marco Rubio

The Florida senator had a stunning tea-party propelled victory in 2010 and is considered a prospective 2012 Republican vice presidential candidate and a possible future presidential contender.

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April 23, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney shakes hands with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) after Romney was introduced by Rubio during a town-hall-style meeting in Aston, Pa.

Jae C. Hong / AP

April 23, 2012

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney holds a rally with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) at Mustang Expediting in Aston, Pa.

Mark Makela / Reuters

April 23, 2012

Mitt Romney, right, walks with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) at a meeting in Aston, Pa.

Jae C. Hong / AP

April 23, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks to the media before a town-hall-style meeting during a campaign stop with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), left, at Mustang Expediting in Aston, Pa. Romney won the Pennsylvania primary the next day.

Jessica Kourkounis / Getty Images

April 23, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), left, listens as Republican presidential candidate. Mitt Romney speaks during a news conference in Aston, Pa.

Jae C. Hong / AP

March 27, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi participate in a news conference about the Supreme Court's second day of hearings on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. Bondi and 25 other attorneys general brought the case before the Supreme Court.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Feb. 9, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) addresses the American Conservative Union's annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

Jan. 27, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), center, talks to Armando Valladares, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, as they arrive at the Hispanic Leadership Network in Miami. Accompanying Rubio is his wife, Jeanette.

Alan Diaz / AP

Jan. 27, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks at a meeting of the Hispanic Leadership Network in Doral, Fla.

Joe Skipper / Reuters

Jan. 10, 2012

Sen. Marco Rubio, (R-Fla.), right, looks on during the first day of the Florida legislative session in Tallahassee.

Chris O'Meara / AP

June 30, 2011

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), second from right, joins other GOP senators who wanted to forgo a holiday recess to stay in Washington and work on the debt crisis. From left are Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Rubio and Sen. David Vitter (R-La.).

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Feb. 28, 2011

Marco Rubio talks to reporters outside the U.S. Southern Command in Miami after meeting with the commander, Gen. Douglas Fraser. Rubio, 39, is a breakout star of the 2010 election and a favorite of the tea party.

Alan Diaz / AP

Jan. 5, 2011

Vice President Biden administers a ceremonial Senate oath during a mock swearing-in ceremony to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, left, accompanied by his wife, Jeanette, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

Nov. 2, 2010

Republican Sen.-elect Marco Rubio waves after winning his Senate bid in Coral Gables, Fla. At right, front, are his daughters Daniella and Amanda and son Anthony. At rear is his wife, Jeanette, holding son Dominick.

Lynne Sladky / AP

Nov. 2, 2010

Republican Marco Rubio, center, shakes hands with supporters after winning his U.S. Senate bid.

Lynne Sladky / AP

Nov. 2, 2010

Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio, and his wife, Jeanette, smile as national TV stations call the race in his favor, while watching results in Coral Gables, Fla.

Alan Diaz / AP

Oct. 20, 2010

Republican U.S.Senate candidate Marco Rubio greets a supporter at an early voting location in Miami.

Alan Diaz / AP

Oct. 6, 2010

Candidate Marco Rubio makes a point in a Senate debate at the studios of WFTV in Orlando.

Joe Burbank / AP

Sept. 30, 2010

Marco Rubio, candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to supporters the Dog House Deli in Pensacola, Fla.

Ben Twingley / AP

Sept. 17, 2010

Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek, left, independent Senate candidate Charlie Crist and Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio, right, pose for photos before their first debate in Miami.

J. Pat Carter / AP

Aug. 24, 2010

Marco Rubio hands his ballot to a polling worker after voting in in the primary election in West Miami, Fla.

Lynne Sladky / AP

March 28, 2010

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and former state house speaker and candidate for the U.S. Senate Marco Rubio appear on Fox News Sunday in the Fox Studios in New York City.

/ Fox News via Getty Images

April 27, 2010

Marco Rubio, surrounded by family members, holds up a signed document declaring his candidacy in the Florida GOP primary for the U.S. Senate in West Miami, Fla.

Lynne Sladky / AP

April 13, 2010

Florida Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio greets supporters upon his arrival at the Marks Street Senior Center to kick off his Take a Stand Bus Tour in Orlando.

John Raoux / AP

Feb. 18, 2010

Former Florida House speaker and U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington.

Cliff Owen / AP

April 23, 2009

Former House speaker Marco Rubio shares a moment with Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Fort Lauderdale), during his visit to the House chamber in Tallahassee.

Phil Coale / AP

May 2, 2008

Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio points to his official portrait, which hangs in the House chamber in Tallahassee.

Phil Coale / AP

April 29, 2008

House Speaker Marco Rubio shows a colleague pictures in the book of the House of Representatives in action, in Tallahassee.

Phil Coale / AP

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