It is a habit with Rubio, a candidate aiming at moderate and conservative voters who often seems to advocate two positions at once. He tells voters he has a personal view on the subject — which might be abortion, immigration, Syrian refugees and gay marriage. But he also has a view of what is politically possible. Which, usually, is not what he personally wants.

That tactic allows Rubio to offer two right answers to the same question, and let him carve out wiggle room on topics where none seemed possible.

He did it Tuesday night in Las Vegas, talking about immigration in the fifth Republican debate…

“That may not be a majority position in my party, but that’s down the road,” Rubio said. “You can’t even begin that process until you prove to people” that border security is working, he said.