Marco Rubio and Today’s Leadership Test

After the voting results yesterday, it is abundantly clear, or at least it should be, that Marco Rubio has no path to a majority of delegates in the Republican primary.

But that doesn’t mean he does not have significant influence at this moment in the race. In fact, he may be the most influential player today. How he makes his next move will matter significantly for the future of our nation.

Leadership can be a funny thing, often requiring us to take counterintuitive actions to keep moving forward.

One of the foundational laws of leadership by John C. Maxwell is the Law of Sacrifice: You must give up to go up.

As influence increases, freedom and options decrease. It’s simply the price one pays to lead others forward.

The President gets access to incredible power, for example, but can’t just drop in at a 7-11 for the rest of his life. As your leadership increases, it becomes less about what works for you and more about what works for those you lead.

It is time for Marco Rubio to give up his current presidential ambitions and join a unity ticket with Ted Cruz.

Such a move would increase, not decrease, his influence long-term. Instead of being known as the next Huckabee, who helped McCain take the nomination in 2008, he would be seen as the noble warrior who set aside his pride for the good of the country.

I voted for Marco Rubio in Georgia as the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump in this state. Rubio did come in second here.

But the state of the race has changed significantly. We all owe Rubio a great debt for taking on Trump as he has done. Steve Berman has argued that Rubio sacrificed his campaign to do so. He is likely correct.

I want Rubio to continue to be a significant voice in the Republican party and the conservative movement. We need him to be.

It is precisely for that reason I am praying he will go up by giving up today.

If Rubio continues his campaign at this stage, he is likely to lose Florida. But even if he wins, the numbers say he has no path forward. He will always be known as the one who let a con artist take the nomination.

Senator Rubio is better than that.

Erick Erickson has expressed on air that he believes Rubio has it in him to humbly step back and join a unity ticket with Ted Cruz. I pray it is so.

Not only would it increase Rubio’s influence at a time when our country desperately needs leaders of principle and humility, it would give us a strong chance of stopping Trump from completing his hostile takeover of the Republican party.

Going forward, a vote for Rubio or Kasich is a vote for Trump. A vote for Trump is a vote for Hillary Clinton.

The choice is that stark. The choice is that simple.

I pray Senator Marco Rubio chooses wisely.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons