Rubio campaigns with brother, touts VA reform

By Al Weaver, Al Weaver

Published December 20, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio was joined on the campaign trail Thursday by his brother Mario, a veteran, as the 2016 hopeful gave a speech on reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs.

During his speech before a town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, Rubio spoke at length about his brother before diving into his proposed reforms, which center around renewed accountability and choice in health care.

From the outset, Rubio touched on the age difference between the two, with Mario being 21 years his elder. Rubio told the crowd that Mario, 65, drove his mother to the hospital when he was born.

"Yes, he's that much older than me," Rubio said laughing, deviating slightly from his prepared remarks before explaining his brother's situation. Mario served in the Army from 1968 to 1971 upon his graduation from high school.