The LGBT-Supportive Billionaire Backing Marco Rubio for President

One of the most monied Republican supporters of marriage equality has reportedly thrown his support to the campaign of Marco Rubio.

Paul Singer is a billionaire hedge fund manager and major Republican donor from New York who has donated more than $10 million to marriage equality work over the past decade through his Super PAC. His son and son-in-law married in Massachusetts in 2009.

Rubio actively campaigned against marriage equality and opposes the LGBT movement broadly on a number of issues, which left some activists disappointed with news of Singer's endorsement, broken by The New York Times.

The Times, which reported Friday it obtained a copy of a letter sent by Singer to fellow campaign donors, called his decision to support the U.S. senator from Florida one "that could swing millions of dollars in contributions behind Mr. Rubio at a critical point in the Republican nominating battle."

The big loser, reported The Times, is former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who had another lackluster performance in the latest GOP debate.

Singer's letter calls Rubio the only Republican in the running who can "navigate this complex primary process, and still be in a position to defeat" Hillary Clinton in a head to head battle next year.

The Times reported that, in his letter, Singer praised Rubio's optimism, his experience as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his persuasive campaign style.

"He is accustomed to thinking about American foreign policy as a responsible policy maker," the letter from Singer stated. "He is ready to be an informed and assertive decision-maker."

A spokesman for Rubio told The Times the candidate welcomed the endorsement: "We know we have a lot of work to do before Marco wins the nomination, but clearly this moves us in the right direction."

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story referred to Paul Singer as gay. His son and son-in-law married in Massachusetts in 2009.