U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was endorsed by Ken Griffin this week
CHICAGO – Illinois' richest man, Ken Griffin – founder of Citadel – announced Wednesday that his pick for president in 2016 is Florida's U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
Despite many of Illinois' Republican elites leveraging their political power behind Ohio Governor John Kasich, Griffin told CNBC he pondered choosing between Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and U.S. Senator Rubio.
“I have known Senator Rubio for a number of years,” Mr. Griffin said after the CNBC interview, “and he is an inspiring, courageous and bold leader who embodies the American dream of freedom and equal opportunity for all.”
He continued: “Senator Rubio is uniquely qualified to lead our nation with conviction and courage to tackle the pressing issues of our time, whether it’s strengthening our military, ensuring the safety of our people, or lifting the weight of government from our shoulders.”
Griffin was a key financial contributor to Illinois' Governor Bruce Rauner's 2014 campaign, pushing Rauner to be the first Republican elected governor in Illinois since 2002. He has donated to Walker, Bush and Rubio's campaign. Walker dropped out of the race and Bush's campaign appears to be losing momentum.
