Sen. Marco Rubio says he got word last week from conservative colleague Ted Cruz that Cruz would announce a presidential bid,
Politico reports.
But speaking to reporters after Monday's announcement by Cruz, Rubio, a Florida Republican, noted that the Texas Republican wasn't taking much of a political risk by being the first to officially jump into the GOP presidential race, Politico reports.
Rubio has to choose between a campaign for president or Senate re-election in 2016, but Cruz's Senate term doesn't expire until 2018.
"I spoke to him last week, and I never had any doubt that he was seriously exploring the opportunity of running," Rubio said, adding; "He politically doesn't walk away from anything for doing it."
Rubio praised his fellow senator as "very intelligent" with "a good story to tell," but wouldn't compare their positions on issues.
"I've not even decided that I'm going to run yet, and certainly haven't announced anything," Rubio said, Politico reports. "So, it's far too early to make comparisons. You are going to have plenty of months to do the comparison shopping."
But Rubio had plenty to say about the lawmaker who wants his seat. Florida Democratic
Rep. Patrick Murphy has announced he'll seek Rubio's seat no matter what the GOP lawmaker decides about his own future.
"Mr. Murphy voted for Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House; that alone will disqualify him in the eyes of at least more than half the Floridians," Rubio said. "The country needs a clean break from the Obama years that he's so strongly linked to."
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