Rubio as Trump’s running mate could draw some Latino voters, but it's not a sure bet

If Donald Trump chooses Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the fluent Spanish-speaking son of Cuban immigrants, as his running mate, Rubio would make history as the first Latino vice presidential nominee — and he’d also be taking a final step in his conversion from Trump antagonist to loyalist.

The question behind the choice would be whether Rubio, the Cuban American son of a bartender and a hotel maid, and his storied political ascent can mobilize a segment of Latino and other voters toward the Trump ticket.

Although Trump gained Latino votes in 2020 compared to 2016, he was still rejected by almost two-thirds of Latino voters in his last presidential election. Polls suggest Trump has gained more Latino support this year.

Manuel Tapia, 54, an optician and Air Force veteran in Tucson, Arizona, who already plans to vote for Trump, said “it means a great deal” to have a Latino on the ticket with Trump.

“I think the community and the whole country will be in better hands. ... They can combine their beliefs and their upbringing and come together and make something better for everybody, not just one-sided,” Tapia, who voted for Trump in 2016 and in 2020, said about a Trump-Rubio ticket.

Rubio’s ability to campaign fluidly in English and Spanish would be a major asset, said Giancarlo Sopo, a communication strategist who worked on Hispanic media strategy for Trump in 2020 but isn’t involved in this year’s campaign.

“Republicans are making big gains with English-dominant Latinos; where they tend to struggle more is with the Hispanics whose primary sources of news are Spanish-language media outlets,” Sopo said. Democrats had a 40-percentage-point advantage among Latinos who get their news in Spanish and a 13-point advantage with