- The Washington Times - Monday, May 9, 2016

Sen. Marco Rubio made it clear Monday that he he does not want to be businessman Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr. Rubio’s name has been bandied about as a possible vice presidential candidate that could help soften Mr. Trump’s tarnished image among Hispanic voters.

“While Republican voters have chosen Donald Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee, my previously stated reservations about his campaign and concerns with many of his policies remain unchanged,” Mr. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, wrote in a Facebook post. “He will be best served by a running mate and by surrogates who fully embrace his campaign.

“As such, I have never sought, will not seek and do not want to be considered for Vice President,” he said. “Instead, I will focus my attention on representing the people of Florida, retaining a conservative majority in the Senate and electing principled conservatives across the country.”

Mr. Rubio dropped out of the GOP presidential race after an embarrassing loss in his home state of Florida in mid-March. He is not seeking re-election to his Senate seat.

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.

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