Marco Rubio’s Ambition, and Sharp Elbows, Fueled His Rise in Tallahassee
And he appeared willing, his detractors said, to abandon the interests of his district if the end result was a political promotion for himself. His election to speaker was made possible, in part, because of a bargain he had made: In exchange for votes from northern Florida lawmakers, former legislators and aides said, he agreed not to fight a measure that increased money for school spending in less-populated, rural regions of the state and reduced it in denser, high-cost areas like Miami.
“He saw his path to be speaker and it came at the expense of his constituents, literally,” said Christian Ulvert, a Democratic strategist who worked as a legislative aide at the time.
.. And at a time when Republican presidential politics are being dominated by candidates who are outsiders to the political system, Mr. Rubio, with his ability to navigate intraparty politics and win over powerful benefactors, has proved himself to be a master of the inside game.