Marco Rubio: The Neocons' Last Stand?

Christopher A. Preble

Politics, United States

The senator has surrounded himself with advisors intent on sending America into more conflict.

Judging from pundits and partisans on both sides of the Trump vs. #NeverTrump divide, the race for the GOP nomination may be decided once and for all over the course of the next seven days. At least some Republican Party leaders have already thrown in the towel. “It’s too little, too late,” one unnamed GOP official said to Politico concerning the latest flurry of activity aimed at denying Donald Trump the nomination.

Trump’s looming victory, or merely the prospect of it, means that the window is fast closing on the neoconservative establishment’s efforts to secure the GOP nomination for its favorite son: Marco Rubio. If the Florida senator fails to win his home state next week, the neocons will be forced to look elsewhere. Many are likely to jump ship entirely, throwing their support to Hillary Clinton, a move that will have profound repercussions long after the final votes are cast in election 2016.

Rubio’s struggles reveal the limits of the neocon’s political acumen. Meanwhile, their willingness to attack the GOP front-runner—and to switch party loyalties entirely if they don’t get their way—reveals the limits of their never-strong commitment to the GOP.

Many factors explain Rubio’s inability to win support beyond the Washington Beltway, but lack of funding isn’t one of them. According to the New York Times, as of late last month Rubio’s own campaign and various PACs had raised at least $84.6 million, and spent nearly $61.1 million. And the Hill reported that the PACs behind the anti-Trump movement, including the American Future Fund and the Club for Growth, would spend over $3.25 million in Florida in the coming week. Meanwhile, the pro-Rubio “Conservative Solutions PAC” has reportedly received an infusion of $10 million.