In response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, one Republican has tried to soften his party's tone.<br/> <br />In a back-to-back speech, Senator Marco Rubio tried to shed his party's image as a defender of the rich.<br/> <br />He warned that Washington cannot tax its way to economic growth.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: (English) SENATOR MARCO RUBIO, REPUBLICAN OF FLORIDA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"So Mr. President, I don't oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose your plans because I want to protect my neighbours. Hard-working middle class Americans who don't need us to come up with a plan to grow the government. They want a plan to grow the middle class."<br/> <br />The speech was a crucial moment for the Republican, as his party tries to reach out to the fast-growing Latino population.<br/> <br />Rubio is widely viewed as a contender for the presidency in 2016.
