“I think there could be backlash, in that Rubio is beloved by many, and Romney is not,” said Javier Manjarres, the editor of the conservative Florida blog The Shark Tank. “Romney would have to try to find someone of Rubio’s caliber to suffice the followers who would be disappointed that he did not pick Rubio.”

Up and down the Florida state party, and among many national Republicans, Rubio is the obvious choice for Romney. They argue he’s the perfect complement to the wealthy former governor of Massachusetts, noting that he his rise to prominence as the child of immigrants from Cuba embodies the American dream. He’s also a popular politician in a swing state. And he answers what some see as the party’s most urgent question: How can it win back some Hispanic voters?

“The fastest growing demographic in the country is Hispanics, and Republicans have been losing voting share of Hispanics at an alarming rate,” John McCain’s 2008 campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, told BuzzFeed. ”That trend has to be arrested if the Republican Party is going to remain a national party.”…

“If Gov. Romney selects another principled conservative to serve as VP, and is gracious in doing so, I think even Sen. Rubio’s biggest cheerleaders will understand,” said one Republican strategist close to Rubio. “But if Sen. Rubio is passed up, or not even asked, in favor of someone that is uninspiring or ‘safe’ I think there will be a lot of tough questions.“