Florida senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio has increased the number of personal anecdotes and revelations along the campaign trail as he tries to win the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
The candidate has been somewhat reluctant to talk about his personal life in the past, preferring to stick to policy proposals or government criticisms. However, as the fight for the Republican nominations becomes more competitive, the Florida senator has opened up to crowds about his childhood, family and financial situation.
Some have suggested that Marco Rubio is a bit "robotic," and that his campaign is simply an instrument of the Republican establishment. Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has called the senator "constantly scripted and controlled," and referred to Rubio as "the boy in the bubble."
However, it appears Rubio is making a concerted effort to combat this perception. The candidate is making a personal appeal to voters, and attempting to show the nation his more accessible side.
Mr. Rubio attempted to relate with financially burdened voters by detailing the economic effects his neighbors' foreclosure caused on his family. "They sold it for $300,000 - half what I paid for my house," Mr. Rubio explained, according to the New York Times. "So that reset everyone's value for years."
Rubio also opened up about the troubles his brother has been experiencing in regards to benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The inefficiency of the V.A. has become a bi-partisan issue that both sides agree needs to be fixed. Marco Rubio says he has "seen this first hand," speaking of his brother's inability to obtain dental coverage from the department. He continued, "How do we really know it happened in the Army? He says, 'Well, it's the only time when I ever jumped out of a plane.' "
