Marco Rubio’s comments on a 2016 presidential run sound convincing

Has a political campaign just heated up between two Florida Republicans who haven’t yet positively confirmed they’ll be running for the presidency in 2016?

If you listen to the banter of Senator Marco Rubio, the answer might be yes: Senator Rubio expressed he can win the next presidential election, and he isn’t afraid of former Florida governor Jeb Bush in statements made to the Associated Press on Wednesday.

SEE ALSO: Marco Rubio returns to immigration debate in book 

“I believe that if I decide to run for president, we have a path to be a very competitive candidate, and ultimately to win,” Rubio told the Associated Press.

Marco Rubio sounds convinced of a possible 2016 presidential victory

The Cuban-American Senator with strong conservative credentials clarified he’s yet to make the final decision whether to seek re-election to the Senate or run for president in 2016.

“I can’t guarantee a victory. Certainly these races will be very competitive, and there’s factors outside of our control that will determine a lot of it,” Rubio said. “But if we made the decision to run for president, I believe that we can put together the organization and raise the money necessary to win.”

Rubio has been extra vocal this past month in questions regarding Cuba, which has become a hot topic between those who support President Barack Obama’s mission to reestablish diplomatic relations with the island and those who don’t. Rubio forms part of the latter group who fiercely opposed the move, saying it only helps perpetuate the cycle of repression by the Castro brothers’ dictatorship.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, son of former U.S. President H.W. Bush and brother of G.W. Bush, announced this week the creation of a PAC called “The Right To Rise PAC,” as he continues to seriously explore a Republican run in the 2016 presidential elections.

In a fuzzy Facebook video that seems to have been shot in Washington D.C. Bush states that it’s a PAC  “to support candidates who believe in strong conservative principles that allow all Americans to rise up.”

SEE ALSO: Why Jeb Bush will be the first ‘Latino’ president 

In December, Bush stated that he will “actively explore the possibility” of making a run at the White House in 2016. The decision to create the PAC makes it clear that he was serious about the presidency.

Also, a recent CNN poll shows Jeb Bush is a clear leader in a GOP presidential run for 2016. His strong conservative credentials notwithstanding, Bush has been known to take a more compassionate stance on immigration reform than his hardline conservative colleagues. He’s married to a Mexican-American wife and he has strong ties to Texas,  as well as Florida, where he still resides after finishing his two terms as governor of the state.

Rubio was also known to propose legislation in the Senate to help deal with immigration reform and has heavy support from Miami’s heavily Cuban-American voting bloc.

Regardless in his yet-to-be-released book Rubio takes a tough stance on illegal immigration.

“When people hear that we have over 12 million people here illegally, they feel as if we are being taken advantage of,” Rubio writes in “American Dreams: Restoring Economic Opportunity for Everyone.” ”They see how hard it is to find and keep a steady and well-paying job, and they worry that more people will mean more competition for already scarce work.

“That’s not nativism,”  Rubio continues, referencing a preference by some people for native-born residents over immigrants. “That’s human nature.”

A Republican primary wouldn’t only be ruled by these two possible candidates for the nomination. Other possible contenders for a Republican presidential ticket includes Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, even though questions of the legality of Cruz’s citizenship may hinder his candidacy.

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