Why Jeb Bush Isn't Keeping Marco Rubio Out Of 2016 Presidential Race

(ABC) - Newly-minted presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio said on Monday he won’t let his bid for the White House come between him and his long-time mentor, fellow Republican -- and likely 2016 rival – former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

AKA MARCO RUBIO!

“Jeb is my friend, he's still my friend, he will continue to be,” Rubio said in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos. “I think it’s important to understand – I'm not running against Jeb Bush, and I hope he's not running against me. We are competing for the same job.”

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Rubio and Bush, who has yet to formally announce his own presidential bid but is widely expected to do so, have been close friends for more than 15 years. When Rubio was contemplating his first Senate run, he pledged to defer to Bush if the governor wanted the seat. So many pundits assumed Rubio would bow out of the 2016 contest if Bush launched a bid.

Not so. Read more.