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Hey, remember when Rudy Giuliani was president? No? Well, that’s good because he was not. However, he was in fact leading the polls at this time during the 2012 presidential election cycle. Through this example, we can see that current poll numbers this far ahead of primaries are typically not indicative of which candidate will actually be the presidential nominee. When asked about what he thought about the current poll leaders, former Republican presidential candidate John Mc Cain said it best when he simply replied: “It doesn’t matter.”

With that thought in mind, it is important to look out for some of the presidential nominees who are not getting the spotlight currently but may in time.  One of these candidates is Marco Rubio. The United States Senator for Florida has largely stayed under the radar by not engaging in any social media fights (we’re looking at you, Donald) or engaging in any overly controversial topics. He currently has 10% of the Republican Party’s support, but according to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll in July,  “62 percent of GOP primary voters would “consider” voting for Rubio.” While they consider, let’s talk about who this Rubio guy is.

On social issues, Marco Rubio is one of the most conservative candidates. He believes that life begins at conception and is strongly anti-abortion.“I believe a human being is entitled to life, irrespective of the circumstances in which that human being was conceived and so forth,” Rubio said on Glenn Beck’s radio show on August 9, 2015. He personally disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, but, like Trump, believes that it is the law of the land and must be followed. Rubio has stated that he believes that some kinds of businesses, like wedding cake shops, should be allowed to deny gay customers, while others, like hotels, should not. 

When it comes to healthcare, Rubio is strongly in support of repealing Obamacare. Instead, he would use new tax credits to help people buy insurance and revise/reform Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance regulations.

Immigration is where Rubio really stands out as a Republican candidate. Rubio’s parents immigrated to America from Cuba in 1956 and worked low paying jobs. His father made a living as a bartender and his mother as a maid, cashier, and retail clerk. Rubio thinks that the United States should modernize immigration to win global competition for talent. He has suggested a three step plan in which illegal immigrants could potentially gain a path to citizenship after border security reforms are completed.

On economics, Rubio returns back to more conservative values. He has stated that the United States should give wage subsidies rather than increase the minimum wage. He claims that “replacing the flawed earned income tax credit with a wage enhancement credit” would help “boost” wages for low income individuals. He plans to make college more accessible through providing an incentive with a new accreditation program. He has advocated for reducing corporate tax rates to 25 percent and allowing companies to bring overseas revenue back to the U.S. without additional taxation. His policies are aimed to embrace globalization and technology.

Finally, what are his thoughts on foreign policy? Well, foreign policy is one of Marco Rubio’s committee assignments, so this is basically his jam. He believes that we should continue to support the Syrian rebels. He also believes in maintaining foreign aid, especially for humanitarian reasons.  In a more surprising opinion for a Republican candidate, he suggests that the U.S. should stay open to negotiations with Iran. However, he tempers this by adding that he is potentially willing to carry out a unilateral strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary.

At this point, it is nearly impossible to tell who will be the Republican candidate for presidency. Will the 62% of “considering” Republican voters put on a ring on it for Rubio and actually make their votes Facebook official? Only time will tell.