A single donor could fund a significant portion of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign for president if he decides to run, according to a report.
The Miami Herald interviewed billionaire car dealership owner and philanthropist Norman Braman, who has been a Rubio friend and supporter since the early 2000s when Rubio, a Republican, began serving in Florida's House of Representatives.
Thanks to a 2010 Supreme Court decision that allowed donors to give unlimited funds to super-PACs, the Herald reports that Braman could give as much as $10 million to Rubio for his White House run.
Rubio is expected to join the presidential race in April.
"He knows the odds, and I know the odds, but when he comes in contact with individuals, he's impressive," Braman told the Herald. "I think he's catching fire already."
The website reports the two men stay in contact by talking on the phone and by text message.
Campaign finance rules limited the amount of money Braman was allowed to donate to Rubio during his time in the state legislature (2000-09), but the Herald reports he donated $5,000 between 2004 and 2006.
Braman has been able to donate more to the Republican Party of Florida; from 2005 to 2008, he and his wife gave almost $563,000 to the organization, the Herald reports.
During Rubio's 2010 run for the U.S. Senate — a race he won — Braman and his wife gave Rubio's campaign $9,600, along with more than $60,000 that went to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, according to data cited by the Herald.
Rubio has been preparing for a presidential run by
outlining his positions on key issues, including taxes and defense.
Rubio said earlier this month that he thinks the U.S. military has to hit the Islamic State (ISIS) hard and fast in order to defeat it.
"The main thing you have to do is target the inner core, because without the inner core that second ring is irrelevant," Rubio said.
He also argued for a change in the tax code, switching to a system that has two tax rates: 15 percent, which would be applicable to about 80 percent of Americas, and 35 percent.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was the first major candidate to enter the 2016 race when he announced last week that he is running on the Republican ticket.
Rubio said Cruz gave him early warning of his White House plans.
"I spoke to him last week, and I never had any doubt that he was seriously exploring the opportunity of running," Rubio said.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is also
expected to run for the White House, along with several other Republicans.
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