GOP Presidential Nomination: Bush “big-footing” Rubio?

University of Virginia political prognosticator Larry Sabato’s “Crystal Ball” lists Jeb Bush, Rand Paul, Scott Walker, and Chris Christie as his 1st and 2nd Republican Presidential Ranking “tiers.” Those are four of my five leading GOP candidates.

Missing from the top of Sabato’s list but high on mine: Mark Rubio, whom Sabato feels has been “big-footed” by “fellow Floridian Jeb Bush.” Sabato believes “Bush may yet crush Rubio’s candidacy” because “Rubio requires the backing of the moneyed class that won’t abandon Bush easily.”

Who can argue with Sabato at this point? But I’m guessing--as I said earlier--that Bush is non-viable. He’s too much the latest “Romney;” he’s in the picture because of name and money, but cursed with a fatal flaw. With Romney, it was “Romneycare.” With Bush, it’s “Bush.” Republicans don’t want “Romney 2.0,” they don’t want “Bush 3.0,” they don’t want the “Establishment Candidate” who’s the “best of a bad lot.” Not this time.

That re-opens the door for Rubio. And Rubio remains in the waiting room, according to the National Journal’s Tim Alberta:

Marco Rubio says his family is on board for a White House campaign in 2016, and he insists that no amount of money Jeb Bush raises will deter him from running. . . Rubio sounds prepared to tangle with Bush—and draw a sharp generational contrast. Rubio, who is 43, repeatedly references the need for a "21st-century candidate" who can speak to the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. When asked whether Bush, 61, is such a candidate, Rubio didn't hesitate. "That's what we're going to have a campaign about," he said.