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Sen. Marco Rubio misses vote after talking about slowing down spending bill (w/video)

 
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign stop at Weiler Manufacturing, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, in Knoxville, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign stop at Weiler Manufacturing, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, in Knoxville, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Published Dec. 19, 2015

WASHINGTON — A day after suggesting he may try to hold up a massive spending deal, Sen. Marco Rubio skipped the vote all together, remaining instead on the presidential campaign trail.

"You can slow it down," Rubio said Thursday on Fox News. But the Florida Republican never attempted to do so, and Friday he was in Iowa as the Senate followed the House in passing the $1.15 trillion "omnibus" spending package.

Rubio issued a statement indicating disapproval of the deal, though he touted a provision he has promoted that thwarts payments to insurance companies under Obamacare.

"In essence, not voting for it is a vote against it," Rubio told CBS News in Iowa.

Rubio was one of just two senators who did not vote (the other was Democrat Barbara Boxer of California) and that gave an opening to a campaign rival, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

"It's a trillion dollars in spending and I think earlier this week he talked about having some activity and then wasn't here," Paul told Politico. "So, yeah, I think it's important to show up to your job. I think that really he ought to resign or quit accepting his pay if he's not going to come to work."

Jeb Bush has similarly criticized Rubio, who has skipped work in Washington in recent months. During Tuesday's presidential debate, Rubio knocked Sen. Ted Cruz for voting against a defense authorization bill. But Rubio himself did not vote.

Paradoxically, Rubio is also getting criticism for not campaigning enough in early nominating states or investing in field offices. His advisers have disputed those characterizations and say he's putting in regular national TV appearances. While the Senate was preparing to vote Friday, Rubio was taping a segment to be shown Sunday on CBS News' Face the Nation.

Since January, Rubio has missed 116 of 335 votes, or about 35 percent, among the worst in the chamber. Other senators who ran for president, including Barack Obama, had similar records.

Friday's vote was the final of the year.