Rubio Praises Ryan as Romney's VP Pick

Sen. Marco Rubio may have been passed over for vice president but he was gracious with praise of Rep. Paul Ryan after his selection on Saturday.

Now, Rubio can use the months of attention he received to build on his already impressive profile for his next four years in the Senate.

The young Florida senator applauded Mitt Romney’s selection of Ryan as his vice presidential pick, saying in a statement, “Throughout his life, Mitt Romney has made great decisions, and choosing Paul Ryan as his running mate is a truly inspired choice.”

“I got to know Paul during my Senate campaign when he endorsed me early on when I was still considered a long shot,” Rubio said.

“Paul Ryan is a courageous reformer who understands our nation’s challenges, has proposed bold policy solutions to solve them, and has shown the courage to stand up to President Obama and other Washington politicians trying to tear him down.”

He concluded: “I’m excited about the visionary change a Romney-Ryan team will bring to Washington, and I look forward to campaigning with them this fall.”

Rubio repeatedly downplayed his own VP prospects despite widespread media speculation and he has benefited from the attention, the Tampa Bay Times reported. This week, he will join Romney on a bus tour through Florida to raise money for him.