The worldview Rubio underscored during his presidential run, which was a continuation of a posture he had taken in the Senate, was by and large in line with traditional Republican hawks, including McCain and Graham, who have tended to be wary of Russia’s intentions.

What remains unclear is whether Tillerson’s solid support among many credentialed Republican establishment figures will sway these hawks.

After Trump officially tapped Tillerson on Tuesday, Rubio released a statement saying that he has “serious concerns” about his nomination, but will work to “ensure he receives a full and fair but also thorough hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”

Tillerson is facing criticism coming from people who don’t “have any business experience and don’t know how the world works,” said McNair, the owner of the Houston Texans football team. He started an energy company in the 1980s and said he did “a lot of business” with ExxonMobil back then.