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Jimmy Williams
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, often mentioned as a potential vice-presidential pick for former President Donald Trump, refused to confirm if he would accept the results of the 2024 presidential election. Instead, he blamed Democrats for creating doubts about election integrity.
During an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Rubio deflected the question, saying, “I think you’re asking the wrong person. The Democrats are the ones that have opposed every Republican victory since 2000. Every single one.” He further commented, “And you have Democrats now saying they won’t certify 2024 because Trump is an insurrectionist and ineligible to hold office. So you need to ask them.”
Rubio’s response is significant as he previously voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results for then-President-elect Joe Biden. At that time, he emphasized, “Democracy is held together by people’s confidence in the election and their willingness to abide by its results.”
Moderator Kristen Welker reminded Rubio that no Democratic presidential candidate, including Hillary Clinton in 2016, refused to concede their elections. Despite this, Rubio avoided a direct answer about the upcoming election’s legitimacy.
In early May, Trump told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he would accept the 2024 election results in Wisconsin “if everything’s honest.” This statement aligns with the trend of Trump allies being non-committal about accepting future election results.
Earlier this month, GOP Sen. Tim Scott, another potential vice-presidential candidate, also avoided committing to accepting the 2024 election results during an interview with “Meet the Press.” Scott said, “At the end of the day, the 47th president of the United States will be President Donald Trump.”
Rubio addressed speculation about being on Trump’s shortlist for vice president. He recently attended a private donor retreat at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump acknowledged Rubio as a potential running mate, saying he was “absolutely” being considered.
Rubio, however, downplayed these speculations, stating, “I haven’t spoken to the president. I haven’t spoken to anybody in the campaign.” Yet, he did not dismiss the idea of accepting the vice-presidential role if offered. “That would be presumptuous for me,” Rubio said, adding, “I think anyone who’s offered that job to serve this country in the second-highest office — assuming everything else in your life makes sense at that moment — if you’re interested in serving the country, it’s an incredible place to serve.”
As the 2024 election approaches, the reluctance of high-profile Trump allies to affirm their acceptance of the results, regardless of the outcome, continues to be a point of contention and concern.
