The primary presidential run is over. The Republican National 
Convention is yesterday’s news.
On Monday, Sen. Marco Rubio will officially kick-off his Miami-Dade re-election grassroots campaign with a community rally in his hometown.
One week before absentee ballots are mailed to 218,000 voters in Miami-Dade, Rubio’s home and stronghold, this event in West Miami is expected to ignite his volunteer army and support base in the county where he is expected to get the most votes.
Rubio has been traveling Florida — with stops in Jacksonville, Tampa and Fort Myers — to stump for Trump and push for party unity. He had a primetime speech at the GOP convention — but it was short, and previously recorded and uneventful (thank-you-very-much-Ted-Cruz). And did I mention unconvincing? 
For the first time ever, a Marco Rubio speech left Ladra, eh. You can even tell he’s reading the prompter — something this avid fangirl has never seen him do.
Maybe his mind was elsewhere?
Next month, Rubio has a major fundraiser in Tallahassee, where he was Majoriy Leader in 2003 and Speaker in 2006. The lunch is hosted by some big time lobbyists Brian Ballard, Nick Iarossi, Scott Ross and Sean Stafford and their wives. Invited guests are expected to bring checks of $5,400 to the Governor’s Club for the event Aug. 22.
Read related story: Marco Rubio revisits with West Miami crowd as ‘one of us’
Rubio is expected to slide easily through the 
GOP primary against Carlos Beruff , a millionaire Manatee developer who wants to be the Trump of this race. Then, he’ll face either Alan Grayson or Patrick Murphy in the general. And the most recent polls say that will be an easy contest too. A Quinnipiac University survey from earlier this month shows Rubio with double digit leads over both Murphy (13 points, with 50 to 37 perccent) and Grayson (12 points with 50 to 38 percent).
These leads are double what they were before Rubio officially said he wanted to keep his job.
Some people are critical of the about face: Rubio said he would go into the private sector if he didn’t secure the GOP nomination and not seek re-election. But he is entitled to 
change his mind. And who wouldn’t change their mind after learning that you are leading the polls (by 7 and 8 points, respectively) even when you are not a candidate? That’s a sign that you should jump back in the race if there ever was one. I know many Rubio supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
This fan girl, for one, couldn’t be happier.
Doors for the kick-off open at 1 p.m. at the City of West Miami Community Center, 901 SW 62nd Ave., and the event starts at 1:30 p.m. This is the same place where Miami-Dade Commissioner and Rubio godmother Rebeca Sosa introduced Marquito during a December presidential campaign stop that brought the house down.
Marco Rubio comes home for Senate grassroots kickoff added by Ladra on
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