2016 WATCH: “Marco Rubio announces he’s running for president” by Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo: “In a historic building that symbolizes the United States’ promise and past, Marco Rubio on Monday announced his candidacy for president, playing up his family’s immigrant roots and promising to usher in a “new American century.”.. “While our people and economy are pushing the boundaries of the 21st century, too many of our leaders and their ideas are stuck in the 20th century,” Rubio said. “We must change the decisions we are making by changing the people who are making them.” [Politico] • Watch the announcement [CSPAN]

Notable line: Rubio called for “abandoning this administration’s dangerous concessions to Iran and it’s hostility to Israel.” [CSPAN]

SCENE: Immediately prior to Rubio’s speech, the words ‘Mazel Tov’ were heard over the speakers repeatedly thanks to The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Gotta Feeling’ [Video] • Rubio began his remarks by noting “That is a lot of cell phones. Thank you” [Video] • Spotted: Florida Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Romney alums Lanhee Chen and Bettina Inclan, Norman Braman, AIPAC board members Carlyn and Lothar Mayer, Getaroom founder Bob Diener, Eytan Laor, Jeffrey Zipper, David Ben-Hooren, and NFL wide receiver Wes Welker. [Twitter]

Corey Breier, a Republican Jewish Coalition activist from Aventura, said he thought Rubio’s speech was “marvelous and I’ll be supporting him.” Asked about Jeb Bush, Breier told Jewish Insider that, “it was a difficult decision but the problem is Mr. James Baker. Jeb having Baker as an advisor on foreign affairs is a bit scary considering his support of the Iran deal.”… Yanky Rodman, 23, visiting from Crown Heights, NY, told us that he came to show support because “Rubio believes in all the things I believe in, both domestic and foreign policy issues.”

JI SCOOP: Rubio’s first New York City event as a Presidential candidate will be a ‘Jewish’ fundraiser hosted by real estate attorney Andy Albstein on Thursday morning at 8:45.

But first… “Rubio will fly to Washington on Tuesday to push an amendment making any Iran deal dependent on Tehran’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist, which is considered a nonstarter.” [NYTimes] • “The power players behind Rubio’s campaign” [Politico]