Mr. Rubio’s team is furiously fighting the impression that a Bush candidacy eclipses a Rubio bid, pointing out that he has been an underdog before. In his 2010 Senate campaign, Mr. Rubio found himself pitted against the establishment — and its money — in his seemingly long-shot bid against the Florida governor, Charlie Crist.
His basic pitch, according to several operatives and donors who have heard it, is that he is the right messenger (an eloquent, young Cuban-American who can appeal to a diverse array of voters) with the right message (an optimistic plan for American exceptionalism, born of his personal story) for the 21st century. He does not mention Mr. Bush, 62, but the generational contrast is implicit…
And though he is not expected to make any official announcement until April, he is quietly telling donors that he is committed to running for president, not re-election to the Senate. (During a stop in Las Vegas, Mr. Rubio met privately with Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate and major Republican donor. Neither Mr. Rubio nor Mr. Adelson’s team would comment on what the two men had discussed.)
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