President Donald Trump is using a popular GOP powerhouse as bait on the campaign trail in his latest attempt to save the election for Republicans as his approval numbers plummet.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a rare appearance alongside Trump at a rally in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, where the president called him up in front of the crowd and declared, 'he's so popular.'
The move comes as Republicans face a difficult political climate, with Trump's approval ratings near historic lows and Democrats leading in national congressional polling.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted October 22-26 found that just 32 percent of Americans approved of Trump's performance, while 66 percent disapproved.
Democrats also led Republicans among likely voters on the congressional ballot, 53 percent to 44 percent, according to the poll.
Republicans have been pushing for Rubio to hit the campaign trail, viewing the former Florida senator as a valuable messenger who could help candidates in competitive races.
But Rubio has mostly stayed off the campaign trail, sticking to his day job as America's top diplomat rather than getting involved in partisan politics.
According to POLITICO, one Republican official in a state with a key Senate race said they had asked for Rubio to attend a political event but were told he was not participating in campaign activities because of his diplomatic role.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a rare appearance alongside Trump at a rally in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, where the president called him up in front of the crowd and declared, 'he's so popular'
Rubio was backstage and had not expected to be brought on stage when Trump called him up during the Texas rally
A New York Times/Siena University poll conducted October 12-19 found Vance leading Rubio 33 percent to 23 percent among Republican primary voters as the 2028 presidential candidate choice
And it originally wasn't in the cards for Rubio to hit the stage Tuesday night.
A White House official, speaking to POLITICO, said Rubio was backstage and had not expected to be brought on stage when Trump called him up during the Texas rally.
'It's an honor to work for the greatest country in the world, for the greatest president in the history of the United States of America,' Rubio told the crowd.
'We love you, Texas.'
GOP operative Bill Cortese told POLITICO that Rubio is Trump's 'best asset' in what he described as a 'dog fight' in Texas, adding that even his presence in the state could help Republicans in races they need to win.
The White House insisted Rubio was accompanying Trump in his capacity as national security adviser, rather than campaigning for Republican candidates.
The trip also provided an opportunity to showcase the administration's Venezuela policy, an area in which Rubio has played a central role.
But Republicans see a broader political opportunity in getting him in front of voters.
POLITICO polling found Rubio was Republicans' third-most popular choice to campaign for the party, behind Trump and Vice President JD Vance, across three surveys conducted this month.
The polling also suggested Rubio's appeal extended beyond Trump's most loyal supporters.
Some 31 percent of MAGA voters said Rubio would help Republicans if he campaigned, compared with 23 percent of Trump voters who did not identify with the MAGA movement.
That relatively narrow gap suggests Rubio could appeal to different parts of the Republican coalition at a time when the party is trying to hold together its base while reaching other voters.
Former Florida Representative Carlos Curbelo told POLITICO that Rubio was a valuable figure for Republicans because of his support among MAGA voters, centrists and Hispanic voters.
The secretary of State has also emerged as a potential contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, alongside Vance.
As Rubio may be a favorite within the GOP, recent polling shows Vance holds an edge.
A New York Times/Siena University poll conducted October 12-19 found Vance leading Rubio 33 percent to 23 percent among Republican primary voters.
A separate Harvard-Harris survey conducted October 24-26 put Vance at 40 percent and Rubio at 21 percent, while a New Hampshire poll released October 22 found the pair tied at 38 percent each.
Rubio ran for president in 2016 but has played down speculation about another White House bid, saying in September that he had 'no plans at this time' and was '100% focused on my job.'
He has also publicly backed Vice President JD Vance as the potential Republican nominee in 2028.
In a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, Rubio said that if Vance ran, 'he's going to be our nominee,' adding that he would be 'one of the first people to support him.'
