Billionaire mega-donor Paul Singer just threw his support to Marco Rubio

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) just won major support from an influential billionaire who is now backing Rubio's presidential campaign.Paul Singer, largely considered one of the most powerful Republican donors in the country, has tossed his support to Rubio, The New York Times reports.The nod from Singer could funnel millions more dollars into Rubio's campaign, and earn him the attention of the GOP's business elite.Singer sent a letter to a coalition of donors Friday, The Times reports, making the argument for supporting Rubio.The note characterizes Rubio as the only candidate able to "navigate this complex primary process and still be in a position to defeat" Democratic presidential front-runner, Hillary Clinton, once the general election is in full swing.Singer also lauded Rubio as an "assertive decision-maker."The move is a coup for Rubio, and a significant blow to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), whose campaign has skidded to a crawl in recent weeks.Bush's sagging poll numbers, a failure to make an impact in the latest GOP debateand before thata downsizing of his campaign team means Bush is likely to sink further into a diminutive position in the Republican field.In contrast, Rubio has seen his personal stock rise after Wednesday night's debate on CNBC. Rubio skillfully responded to questions from the moderators, while also deflecting pointed criticism from Bush."We're running for the same position, and someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you," Rubio told Bush at one point during the debate.Singer is seen as a coveted partner in the GOP presidential race for his ability to bundle massive sums of money from the party's well-heeled backers. And, as noted by The Times' Maggie Haberman and Nicholas Confessore, Singer's "caution and careful vetting of candidates" could potentially add a great deal of certitude to candidates like Rubio who win Singer's support. That, in a field dominated by the larger-than-life real-estate mogul, Donald Trump and top-polling retired neurosurgeon, Ben Carson could help Rubio stake a more favorable position in the march toward the GOP presidential nomination.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: POWER RANKINGS: Who has the best chance of becoming the next president
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