With Donald Trump eating up the all the press coverage of the Republican nominating contest for president of the United States, you could be forgiven for thinking his victory is a done deal. It isn’t. Far from it. The billionaire property mogul may have virtually unassailable poll leads in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to vote, but these contests are only the tip of the electoral iceberg.
It is highly likely that as the contest continues past its first landmarks, the Republican electorate will start to convalesce around a more (only slightly) moderate candidate. Of course, by moderate I still mean surprisingly (by English standards) right wing.
New Hampshire
The most likely beneficiary of this expected ‘hunt for someone who can actually win’, which will begin the moment Trump storms to victory in New Hampshire and the shock brings the party to its senses, will be Marco Rubio.
Rubio is a young (44) junior senator from Florida. From a Hispanic background, Rubio is a strong public speaker with echoes of the oratory of Barack Obama. What is more, his Reagan-esque calls for economic competence while reducing ballooning budget deficits, are impressing a generation of over qualified young people who are struggling to find a job that matches their education.
Clinton
Rubio has the hallmarks of a potential winner, who could give Hillary Clinton a run for her money in the general election in November.
But when it comes to worker’s rights, the Senator’s credentials are somewhat less than sterling. Rubio does not believe that the minimum wage is the best way to help people increase their pay, in fact he believes that increasing the minimum wage will raise the likelihood of employers using machines rather than employing people. However, he believes in making it easier for businesses to expand and employ more workers.
Rubio voted against a bill in the senate that aimed to establish additional penalties for violations of the equal pay requirement. He is also against increasing the power of American unions, despite his father being an enthusiastic union member.
Parental leave
However, Rubio is the first Republican presidential candidate creating paid family leave in his election platform. The plan through which he aims to do this has been criticised. Rubio is planning to give a 25 percent tax credit for companies that offer a minimum of four weeks paid leave. The credit would be capped at 12 weeks and $4,000 per employee annually. However, many believe that tax credits have never, historically, been able to incentivise companies to do right by their employees.
So, don’t be too alarmed when Trump wins the first nominating contests at the end of the month, because Rubio will likely claim the Republican nomination in the end. But, in the general election, expect common sense to win the day.
Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.