Marco Rubio, 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate | featured news

Rick Santorum and Marco Rubio are the top two choices among Republican voters as Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday.

Marco Rubio took the stage with Mitt Romney and delivered what the presidential candidate wanted - a jolt of energy aimed at an uninspired Republican base and a message of inclusion to Latino voters, who have drifted away from the party in droves.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) has yet to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, but that hasn’t stopped the vice-presidential speculation from already kicking into overdrive. Will it be Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)? Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)? House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)?

As Donald Trump boasted that he was "very proud" of prompting President Obama to release his long-form birth certificate, some Republicans on Sunday sharply criticized the flamboyant New York real estate magnate for pushing the "birther" issue. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Gov. Robert McDonnell and Sen. Marco Rubio are among those suggesting Trump's focus on the issue was hurting the GOP cause.