In the last few days, Washington insiders were buzzing about two names: Ryan and Rubio.

Insiders told VOXXI that the contest for the vice presidential nomination came to be a race in the last weeks between the three Rs: Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Then last week, the talk was all Ryan and Rubio, Rubio and Ryan.

The Cuban-American from Miami must have known early, however, that he had not made the final cut: Rubio was on vacation with his wife and kids at an undisclosed location when Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney announced Ryan would be his running mate.

The Florida Senator and best-selling author — who mixed campaigning with a tour of his recently released book, An American Son — is going to need that rest. Because the election isn’t over for him.

“Marco Rubio now becomes the Romney/Ryan ticket’s top national surrogate,” said U.S. Congressman David Rivera, one of Rubio’s closest friends who served with him in the Florida House. Rubio’s role in the campaign will be as a fill-in, in other words.

“Wherever Romney and Ryan cannot be to campaign, Marco Rubio will be the first choice to stump for the presidential ticket,” Rivera said in a telephone interview, shortly after the announcement was made while still listening to reaction on National Public Radio.

Read more at The Huffington Post