Marco Rubio’s leadership PAC offers VIP treatment at CPAC

Introduction

Want VIP access for Sen. Marco Rubio’s speech at this year’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference?

A new contest by Rubio’s leadership PAC is offering one lucky winner the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., for the high-profile conference, along with VIP seats and a backstage photograph with Florida’s junior senator.

While the contest’s fine print indicates no donation to Reclaim America PAC is required for a chance to win a trip to CPAC in March, raffles such as this are a popular way for politicians to raise money from small-dollar contributors.

Both President Barack Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, conducted numerous contests throughout the 2012 presidential campaign.

Rubio’s leadership PAC, Reclaim America PAC, has raised more than $8 million since it was launched in August 2011, according to Federal Election Commission filings. That money cannot be used to fund Rubio’s own campaign efforts, but can be doled out to support fellow conservative politicians or used to pay for travel, political consulting fees, polling and the like.

Rubio, a Cuban-American and GOP rising star, was last year discussed as a possible Romney running mate. This year, he’s taken a lead on immigration reform legislation in the U.S. Senate, and many wonder if he’ll seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.