By Ray Cardello for February 17, 2026, Season 34 / Post 18

I have been a fan and supporter of Marco Rubio since he threw his hat into the ring in 2016 to be president of the United States. I remember walking with Sharon through the streets of Concord, New Hampshire, on a very cold February night to hear the young candidate address his supporters after a disappointing showing in the NH primary. He was strong, took responsibility for his performance, and showed us why we thought that this was the right man to lead this country. It was a crowded field of Republican candidates in 2016, and like the others on the ballot, Marco would fall to the side as Donald Trump took control of the Party that year. Trump was brutal on “Little Marco” back then, and nobody could have seen the relationship these two men would form eight years later. But these two men cast aside their differences and petty name-calling and have formed one of the strongest allegiances ever seen in the White House. Time magazine pictured Rubio on its cover that year and labeled him the Republican Savior. They may have been right, though premature, as Marco Rubio is poised to be the one person who can fill the void as Trump ends his Washington run in 2029. Little Marco is now front and center, and this time he appears more than ready for the challenge.

I watched a YouTube replay of Rubio’s address to the Munich Security Conference, and was caught up in every word of what many are now simply calling “The Speech.” I thought Rubio had reached his pinnacle at the Charlie Kirk Memorial. But he outdid himself in Germany with a beautifully crafted speech that delivered a powerful message, interrupted twice by applause from the room full of world leaders, and culminated in a rare standing ovation. Rubio’s performance as Secretary of State, as well as the many other hats he wears in this administration, has been remarkable enough. But these 30 minutes on the world stage thrust him to the head of the class, not just in American politics, but in the world’s.

This was not a fluff speech, but a declaration of the nationalism that Donald Trump is restoring in America and an invitation to all countries of the world to join us on this restoration. It was a challenge to the world to cast aside the idea of a borderless world and to regain its sovereignty, embracing its individual cultures proudly. You could see Marco struggling with dry mouth as the words rolled out, but unlike 2016, he was not going to reach for a water bottle on this occasion. He could sense the moment was his, and he was prepared to capture it and own it.

There has been much speculation about whether Rubio or Vance would be at the top of the ticket in 2028. Many of us see this duo as a Republican Dream Team, regardless of who is in the top spot, but Marco has taken the lead in many minds. With his experience as Senator, Secretary of State, and head of National Security, he has earned it. Should Rubio and Vance be the ticket to lead the Party into the post-Trump era, we could not be in better hands. These two men are strong, brilliant patriots who can both identify with the people. If you look around the table at one of Trump’s cabinet meetings, you recognize that, like a true CEO, Trump has built a team of capable individuals who have grown together and are poised and ready for the challenge ahead. Marco, sitting to the right hand of Trump, is ready to accept the role of successor, or in the words of Time Magazine, the Savior.