Rubio Speaks to Federalist Society After Midterm Losses

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention, his first address since Republicans lost the 2026 midterm elections.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Law

Rubio Speaks to Federalist Society After Midterm Losses

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a post-midterm speech at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention. His daughter Daniella introduced him before he addressed the conservative audience.

Why it matters

The speech was Rubio's first public address since Republicans lost the 2026 midterm elections to a Democratic blue wave. Rubio referenced Republican losses in the 1982 midterms under Ronald Reagan, framing the current defeat within a historical pattern for the party.

Rubio's remarks came one day after the November 13, 2026 convention, the first major speech of his since the midterms. The speech drew on the 1982 midterm precedent, when Republicans also suffered significant losses under Reagan.

The players

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio is the U.S. Secretary of State and a former U.S. senator from Florida who has long been a prominent figure in Republican politics.

Federalist Society

The Federalist Society is a conservative and libertarian legal organization that hosts an annual National Lawyers Convention for judges, lawyers and law students.

The details

Daniella Rubio, a third-year law student at the University of Virginia and the youngest of Rubio's four children, introduced her father before he spoke. Rubio addressed conservative attendees of the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention.

1982: Republicans suffered devastating losses in midterm elections under Reagan.
November 13, 2026: Rubio delivered his post-midterm speech at the Federalist Society convention.

Political Context

Rubio's invocation of the 1982 midterm losses under Ronald Reagan frames the 2026 defeat as a repeat of a past cycle in which the party lost ground in a midterm election. The comparison offers a historical lens for judging how the party may respond.

For voters, the midterm results and the party's response shape which policy priorities move forward in Congress and the executive branch. Readers following the law and judiciary can track how conservative legal groups position themselves after the election.

The takeaway

Midterm losses often prompt parties to reassess their messaging and priorities, and Rubio's use of a historical precedent suggests the party is looking to past cycles for guidance. Watching how Republican leaders frame the 2026 results will show which direction the party takes next.