In a Wall Street Journal article titled, “Marco Rubio: Riding to the Immigration Rescue,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., laid out the sketch of a bipartisan immigration reform platform. The article came as a surprise to the bipartisan group of senators who had been working on an immigration plan with and without Rubio for weeks.
The dig was subtle, but Rubio didn’t let it go. “I am clearly new to this issue in terms of the Senate. I am not new in terms of my life,” noted the Cuban-American senator from West Miami. “I live surrounded by immigrants. My neighbors are immigrants. My family is immigrants. Married into a family of immigrants.”
The understated exchange between lawmakers in late January reflects how Rubio has used his compelling biography to cast himself in a starring role in the immigration debate and, beyond that, the future of the GOP.
In this week's National Journal cover story, Beth Reinhard explores Rubio's rise and potential as a GOP leader. In the video above, go behind the story with Reinhard herself.
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