Politics: Rubio?s Moment

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Politics Rubio's Moment How the senator from Florida is using immigration to get to the big stage. By John Dickerson Posted Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013, at 06:50 PM ET Sen. Marco Rubio is having a moment. He's a charismatic senator from a battleground state whose Cuban heritage and support for immigration reform are helping his party begin a new courtship with Hispanic voters. This much we know. But Rubio is exploiting an opportunity that goes beyond simply good timing and the right last name. He is getting the chance to be first at bat in a larger effort: the post-election audition for GOP leadership. Of all the would-be Republican stars—and the list is long and likely to grow—Rubio is getting a chance to show exactly what it looks like to move the party in a new direction. Lots of conservatives are giving advice about how the Republican Party can evolve after the 2012 election. Paul Ryan, Bobby Jindal, Charles Krauthammer, and the National Review have all weighed in with a message of principle mixed with prudence. That's just talk. Rubio has given his speech about party direction, too. But he's now getting a chance to demonstrate some important political skills beyond speech-making that show whether he can actually help steer the new course, not just call for one. This is the first test of the New Year's resolutions. Senators—particularly freshman senators with no executive experience—don't get a lot of opportunities to show their skills in action. In the sweepstakes to be a national Republican leader—and then possible presidential candidate—the advantage usually goes to the governors. They can take ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate The Idiocy of Sequestration America's Nuclear Dumpsters House of Cards	Advertisement
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