THE NEW STAR – AT 8:27 A.M. ET:  At political meetings I attend, most of the talk isn't about Scott Brown of Massachusetts, but about Marco Rubio, running for the GOP Senate nomination in Florida.  Real Clear Politics:

In the first three months of 2010, Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R) raised an impressive $3.6 million. Over the same time period, Rubio pushed Gov. Charlie Crist, the former frontrunner, out of the lead in their primary race.

Starting the year with a strong fundraising quarter was important for Rubio, who had some catching up to do. With more than $7.5 million in the bank, Crist held a $5.5 million cash advantage at the end of the year.

Rubio's take for the first quarter of the year represents nearly half of his total receipts over the entirety of his campaign. He raised $1.75 million in the 4th quarter of 2009 and more than $1 million in the 3rd quarter.

Rubio holds a 25.4-point lead in the RCP Average for the Florida Republican Senate primary. Florida is currently listed as Likely Republican on RCP's new Battle For The Senate Map.

COMMENT:  Rubio is a coming star.  He is Hispanic, from Florida, and, if he wins big in November, an obvious entry on the vice presidential possibilities list for 2012.

By the way, the other name I hear most often is Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, a young man who dazzles with his sheer knowledge of issues and his ability to present them.  The GOP bench is getting thicker.

April 8, 2010