WASHINGTON — When the Senate voted Tuesday to debate a controversial bill to fast-track trade deals, Republican Marco Rubio was in Florida raising money for his presidential run.
Rubio is passionate on the subject of trade, but he also faces daunting — and time-consuming —demands to meet party activists in key states and raise millions for his White House campaign.
For Rubio, one of four senators seeking the presidency, meeting those demands has meant missing nearly 20% of Senate floor votes so far this year. Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, another presidential contender, has missed more than 25%.
The two other announced candidates — Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont — have missed only a handful of the 180 roll call votes taken through Thursday. A fifth senator, Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, is expected to announce a presidential campaign soon.
It's a common dilemma for lawmakers seeking the presidency: How to balance the demands of a national campaign with the responsibilities of representing constituents.
