Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ended his presidential campaign Tuesday night after getting soundly beaten in his home state's Republican presidential primary, yet another defeat in a campaign that never quite achieved lift-off. Here are a few memorable moments from his campaign:
Aug. 18, 2015: Football in the face
In a moment caught on video and turned into a social media sensation, Rubio hits a 4-year-old kid in the face while throwing a football at an Iowa campaign stop. (In January, the Independent Review Journal shoots a video of the senator throwing a football to the same kid, who catches it this time around.)
Oct. 28, 2015: Trading barbs with Bush
In a moment that showed the protégé surpassing his mentor, Rubio deftly roasted Jeb Bush for suggesting during the Boulder, Colo., GOP debate that the senator start showing up at his day job or quit. Rubio's response? “We’re running for the same position and someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you."
Jan. 4, 2016: Boots gone viral
Rubio gets seen — and tweeted — by a New York Times reporter in stylish, heeled boots that draw jokes from his rivals and scrutiny over their price. (He later pokes fun at the situation on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.)
Feb. 1, 2016: Third is the new first
In the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, Rubio makes a surprisingly strong finish, coming in third but just behind Donald Trump in second place. Rubio holds a victory party with a cheering crowd and claims momentum heading into the New Hampshire primary.
Feb. 6, 2016: Robotic performance
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie blasts Rubio as “robotic” for repeating the same line several times at the Manchester, N.H., debate. Three days later, during the New Hampshire primary, jokesters dressed up as robots mock his debate performance at polling sites. Rubio finishes a disappointing fifth in the Granite State.
Feb. 13, 2016: No habla espanol?
At the Greenville, S.C., debate, Rubio challenges Ted Cruz on his ability to speak Spanish. His debate performance helps revive his flagging campaign, and he finishes second in the South Carolina primary a week later, just ahead of Cruz.
Feb. 28, 2016: That thing with the hands
At a rally in Salem, Va., Rubio who’s tired of being teased by Trump as “Little Marco” who sweats all the time, slams the real estate mogul for having “small hands." That provokes Trump to defend his anatomy in the opening moments of the next debate.
March 1, March 8, and March 15, 2016: Three terrible Tuesdays
Eleven states hold Republican nominating contests March 1 — Super Tuesday — and Rubio wins only the Minnesota caucuses. It was a bad night, but he still takes home enough delegates to remain relevant. But a week later Rubio bottoms out, capturing just a single delegate in Hawaii among the four states that voted March 8, as calls for him to quit the race begin to mount. His home-state defeat March 15 sealed the deal.
