During his run for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida Senator Marco Rubio made it clear it was the White House or bust. If he failed in his effort to win the presidency, he would not seek reelection to a job that, quite frankly, he hated.
“I don’t know that ‘hate’ is the right word,” Rubio was quoted as saying during his primary run. “I’m frustrated… That’s why I’m missing votes. Because I am leaving the Senate. I am not running for reelection.”
Rubio’s resolve to leave the Senate showed signs of cracking last week.
“I’ll go home later this week, I’ll have some time with my family,” Rubio told reporters in the Capitol. “If there’s been a change in our status, I’ll be sure to let everyone know.”
Today, Rubio has let us know. He will run for reelection to the Senate after all.
Rubio, according to recent polls, is the strongest Republican in a potential race against the Democrats’ strongest candidate, Rep. Patrick Murphy, in a contest that could very well decide control of the Senate.
With his 180-degree turn, Rubio confirmed what many observers suspected… he would not give up one of the most coveted, cushiest jobs in the country.
A United States Senator earns a base pay of $174, 000. But that is just the beginning of a sweet gig. Add in health insurance, retirement benefits, allowances for a personal staff of anywhere from 26 to 60, expense allowances and a generous foreign travel allowance, you have one helluva package.
But the best part about the job, as we have seen over the past eight years, is that you collect all those benefits for virtually doing nothing!
If Rubio does secure his party’s nomination, his Democratic challenger will be either Patrick Murphy or Alan Grayson.
I am pulling for a Little Marco – Big Alan matchup.
Photo | thehill.com
You forgot the most lucrative part – he can leave politics and become a lobbyist or a consultant to one of the companies who gave him campaign contributions (and for whom he passed legislation), and enter the world of million dollar a year jobs. Republican politicians (and a lot of Dems, as well) are citizens who decide that the most important thing is to become very wealthy by doing whatever the rich and big corporations want and sticking it to the voters who put them into office. Morals and ethics are left at the door.
Good point. I’d call that a great fringe benefit.
We all knew while Rubio may be a robot, he’s no fool!
Yes, especially now that he has been completely rewired. Hopefully no more shorts.