Sen. Marco Rubio and former governor Jeb Bush stood together behind GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012. But in 2016, the two men may be competing for the same spot.(Photo: Emmanuel Dunand, AFP/Getty Images)
The first day of 2015 offered some pre-game chatter for a possible "Sunshine State primary" as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former governor Jeb Bush both offered hints of possible campaigns for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination.
Last month Bush announced his decision to "actively explore" a presidential bid in 2016. On New Year's Eve,
The Washington Post r
eported that Bush is resigning from all corporate and non-profit boards on which he has served, and is also severing his ties with a for-profit education company that had paid him as an adviser.
USA TODAY
Jeb Bush explores 2016 presidential race
Bush had already released more than 200,000 e-mails from his tenure as Florida governor; all of the moves are seen as clearing the way for his presidential campaign by eliminating or pre-empting any controversies about his record and professional affiliations.
Bush immediately became the front-runner in early polls — if such a thing can be determined before anybody has actually declared their candidacy. A CNN/ORC poll of Republicans
released Monday found Bush favored by 23% of respondents, far ahead of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie with 13%.
In that same poll, Rubio drew only 5% support, but he told NPR in an interview aired New Year's Day that Bush's apparent preparations for a presidential bid would not affect his own decision whether to run.
NPR
NPR Media Player
"The decision I have to make is where is the best place for me to serve America," Rubio told NPR. "Is it in the Republican majority in the Senate or is it as a candidate and ultimately as president of the United States? If I decide it's as president, then that's what I'm going to do irrespective of who else might be running."
Rubio noted that there is precedent for two candidates from the same state running for president — for example then-governor Rick Perry and congressman Ron Paul, both from Texas, competed for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.
Rubio said he is still weighing his options. "I haven't made a decision yet on it. I don't have a date in mind or a time frame in mind, but certainly soon. We're closer to a decision than we were a month ago."
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