Rubio joins Trump at Texas midterm rally, showcasing Venezuelan oil tanker

Mixed · 2US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a rare appearance alongside President Donald Trump on the midterm campaign trail on 27 October, visiting an oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude in Corpus Christi, Texas, days before the 3 November vote. 1 2 Mixed · 2At the Corpus Christi rally Trump called Rubio on stage, saying "He's so popular" and "We love Marco", as the crowd chanted Rubio's name. 1 2 Mixed · 2AFP, whose report both outlets carried, said it is very unusual for the top US diplomat to take part in such domestic political trips, whereas Vice President JD Vance has been crisscrossing the country; Rubio and Vance are widely viewed as top contenders to carry the Republican Party into the post-Trump era in 2028. 1 2

Mixed · 2A State Department official, speaking anonymously, said Rubio was travelling with Trump in his capacity as National Security Advisor, making him the first person to hold both foreign policy jobs since Henry Kissinger, and that time on the plane lets him discuss issues with the president; the official did not say what the issues were. 1 2 Right · 1The official's comments come against the backdrop of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, elections in Israel and the upcoming US vote. 1 Right · 1Rubio, who ran for president in 2016, has yet to say whether he will run in 2028, and Trump, 80, has not endorsed a successor; until now Rubio had avoided the campaign trail, focusing on foreign trips including Uzbekistan and India last week, and he is due to host G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta on 30-31 October. 1

Mixed · 2The tanker carries one million barrels of Venezuelan crude that Trump said will be processed at Texas refineries; the showcase comes as affordability is a top worry for households facing higher gasoline and other costs, and Trump vowed gasoline and diesel prices will soon cool. 1 2 Right · 1Ties between Washington and Caracas have warmed since the US toppled Nicolas Maduro in a January military operation; his vice president Delcy Rodriguez took power and has complied with Trump's demands to open Venezuela's energy industry to American companies. 1 Mixed · 2Oil prices have surged since US-Israel strikes on Iran in late February led Tehran to block the Strait of Hormuz, and Republicans fear voter anger over inflation, stoked by Trump's launch of the war on Iran, could bring a "blue wave" of Democratic wins. 1 2

Mixed · 2Trump has held near-daily rallies over the past month to energise loyal supporters who often stay home when he is not on the ballot; Tuesday was his third Texas visit in a month, as polls show a close Senate race in a state Republicans have held for more than 30 years. 1 2