http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/marco-rubio-reelection-2016-florida-senate-223622Rubio: 'Unlikely' I'll run for reelection
The Florida senator leaves the door a crack to reversing his planned retirement from the Senate after one term.
By Burgess Everett and Marc Caputo
05/26/16 03:09 PM EDT
Updated 05/26/16 04:52 PM EDT
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Mitch McConnell conducted a survey on Sen. Marco Rubio on Thursday: At a GOP caucus lunch, he asked senators whether they’d like to see Rubio run for reelection.
Every hand in the room went up. And then the Senate majority leader told senators to get to work persuading Rubio to ditch his retirement from the chamber after one term and run again, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
National Republicans are growing increasingly worried about their chances in Florida's open Senate race. And Rubio — adamant until now that he will seek a job in the private sector after his failed bid for president — is leaving the door open, if only a millimeter.
The Florida senator on Thursday said it was "unlikely" he would jump into the race, even as fellow Republicans began openly urging him to. A chaotic, five-way Republican primary has stoked worries that Rubio's seat will flip to Democrats.
"I didn't think it was fair for me to run for president and freeze that seat in a competitive state. So, I made my decision," Rubio told reporters on Thursday afternoon. "I don't have anything new to say from what I said in the past. ... I made that decision and I've lived by that decision. Nothing's changed."
But pressed further whether he might change his mind and file for the seat by the June 24 filing deadline, he replied: "I don't think so. Look, I enjoy serving with my colleagues, I respect them very much; I'll always listen to what they have to say. But I don't think anything's going to change."
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