Marco Rubio's chances of winning the GOP primary have doubled since the last debate

Back when Scott Walker was still in the race and Jeb Bush seemed like the GOP's strongest contender, Marco Rubio, as The New York Times puts it, "looked boxed out." But now that Walker has thrown in the towel and Bush is struggling, Rubio may finally be getting his big chance — and the betting markets are paying attention. Since the last Republican debate, The New York Times reports that Rubio's chances of winning the nomination have more than doubled, jumping from 13 percent to 29 percent. That puts him only two percentage points behind Bush, at 31 percent.
But even with the window wide open for Rubio, The New York Times writer Nate Cohn wonders if the 2016 hopeful can take advantage. Rubio's widespread appeal is a double-edged sword, Cohn suggests, since he "is not the natural favorite of any wing of the party, which is the easiest way for a candidate to become the first choice to a meaningful block of voters." As a "young, Catholic, Latino lawyer from Miami," Rubio might also struggle to appeal to "old, evangelical, white, less-educated, and rural voters," Cohn writes.
Challenges aside, the odds are still looking better than ever for Rubio.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Read the full story over at The New York Times.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What to know about the 'no tax on tips' policy
The Explainer The new bill would make tip income exempt from federal income taxes
-
Dehorning rhinos sharply cuts poaching, study finds
Speed Read The painless procedure may be an effective way to reduce the widespread poaching of rhinoceroses
-
'Constantly shifting regulations are a nightmare'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein
-
Trump hits Africa, Middle East with new travel ban
Speed Read The travel ban bars visitors from 12 countries and restricts entry from seven
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain