Rubio returns to Senate

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) returned to the Senate on Thursday, two days after ending his presidential campaign. 

Alex Burgos, a spokesman for Rubio, posted a video of the senator walking in the Russell Senate Office Building, saying that “Senate staff welcomed him back to the office.”

{mosads}The video shows Rubio’s staff clapping as he walked toward his office. 

Rubio ended his presidential campaign on Tuesday evening after losing the primary in his home state of Florida. He trailed in national polls behind businessman Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who have ridden voter frustration with Washington to the top of the GOP field.

Burgos told The Hill that Rubio participated in a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday and will be at the Senate’s vote later in the day on holding Backpage.com in contempt.

That would mark the fourth time Rubio has voted in the Senate this year, where he’s missed 34 of 37 roll call votes, according to GovTrack.  

Rubio’s office repeatedly defended his voting record, which came under attack during the campaign, saying he returned to Washington for important votes or when his vote made a difference in the outcome.  

Rubio isn’t the only presidential candidate who missed votes as the White House race hit high gear. Cruz has missed 35 of the Senate’s 37 roll call votes so far this year, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who’s running for the Democratic nomination, has missed 36.