Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday downplayed Republicans’ devastating losses in the midterm elections, instead telling supporters, “Politics requires more than simply winning elections.”

“Those who believe that one setback, one defeat, one bad election spells the end of the republic should look to you as an example for inspiration,” Rubio said in his first major remarks since Election Day, given to the conservative Federalist Society at the National Lawyer’s Convention in Washington, D.C.

Rubio, whose name has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, told the audience, “Great things that last are built in decades, not election cycles.”

“There will be more victories, and there will be more defeats,” he said.…