Washington--US Democrats have their 2016 presidential frontrunner in Hillary Clinton, but the Republican field remains wide open -- and it got even wider Monday, with first-term Senator Marco Rubio joining the race.
Rubio -- a Florida lawmaker and son of immigrants from Cuba who is equally at ease discussing foreign policy, deficit reduction, his family's compelling narrative or hip-hop music -- is scheduled to make a "huge announcement" at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT) in Miami.
But hours before he is expected to officially launch his campaign and cast himself as the next-generation candidate, in contrast with Clinton and mentor-turned-rival Jeb Bush, the 43-year-old Rubio told major donors on a conference call that he is in, the Miami Herald reported.
He joins two other Republican first-term senators who are already running: Ted Cruz of Texas, who like Rubio is Cuban-American, and libertarian-leaning Rand Paul from Kentucky.
While Clinton has few serious challengers from within her party -- Vice President Joe Biden and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley have expressed interest but little else -- several more Republicans are considering jumping into the fray, including Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and former Texas governor Rick Perry.
Should Bush, the son and brother of two former presidents, enter the race as expected, his duel against fellow Floridian Rubio could be one of the more compelling narratives of the 2016 campaign.
AFP
