MIAMI, Fl. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio just announced he is running for president.
In the latest CNN/ORC International poll, conducted March 13-15, 7% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they would back Rubio, placing him in a tie for 6th place in the race for the Republican nomination.
Rubio trailed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (16%), Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (13%), Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (12%), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (10%) and neurosurgeon Ben Carson (9%). He was tied with New Jersey governor Chris Christie at 7%.
Rubio is the second choice of 11% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, just behind Bush (13%) and even with Walker (11%).
Looking back at national, live interviewer polls on the GOP field back to March 2013, Rubio has the distinction of leading the very first poll. He placed first with 19% in a Quinnipiac University poll of registered Republicans in March 2013. He hasn’t polled that well in any poll since.
A Pew Research Center survey conducted March 25-29 found that 55% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say there’s a chance they’d support Rubio, while 14% say there’s no chance they would back him, and 25% have not heard of him.
In his home state of Florida, Rubio is unable to gain much traction when matched up against fellow Floridian Jeb Bush.
Rubio’s announcement comes the day after Hillary Clinton made her long-awaited entry into the race.