TAMPA, Fla. -- Sen. Marco Rubio says both political parties need to do more to address the needs of Hispanic Americans.
The Florida Republican was reacting to comments from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who said the array of Hispanic speakers at the GOP convention isn't enough for Mitt Romney to woo Latino voters.
Rubio, who will formally introduce Romney before he accepts the GOP presidential nomination, says Republicans can't just be the anti-illegal immigration party.
"Quite frankly, what's he saying is true for both parties," Rubio told ABC's "Good Morning America" of Villaraigosa's remarks. "Policies matter. And look, the Republican party does have a challenge. We can't just be the anti-illegal immigration party. We have to be the pro-legal immigration party."
He tells "Good Morning America" there are problems with Obama's decision to stop deporting younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Romney has promised to change that strategy but has not specified how.
"What [Romney] has said is that if he's president, there will be a permanent solution to that problem," Rubio said, not going into details as to whether Romney would rescind Obama's immigration order. "It won't require the short-term one."
Polls have shown Romney struggling to gain traction with Latino voters.
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