WATCH: Tea Party Hero Marco Rubio Saves Nancy Reagan From A Bad Fall:

Fears for Nancy Reagan, 90, as she slips and falls on way in to watch speech by Tea Party favourite Marco Rubio.
Nancy Reagan last night lost her balance and fell as she arrived to watch a speech by Republican freshman senator and Tea Party darling Marco Rubio.The frail former First Lady was being escorted to her seat in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, in Simi Valley, California, by Senator Rubio when she lost her footing and took a tumble.Mrs Reagan had asked Senator Rubio to speak at her late husband's presidential library following his election to the U.S. Senate last year.The pair had arrived to a standing ovation, but there were hushed gasps as the 90-year-old, who was leaning heavily on a walking stick, slipped and Senator Rubio leapt to catch her.Assisted by onlookers, the senator for Florida helped Mrs Reagan back to her feet and the applause resumed. A library spokesman told CNN that she was unhurt in the incident.Only elected in 2010, Senator Rubio has already been tipped as a possible Republican candidate for vice-president as the party gears up to challenge President Barack Obama next year.If he joins the race, the Latino newcomer's career trajectory - running for president after just a short career in the U.S. Senate and a stint in the state legislature - will look remarkably similar to President Obama's.In a carefully worded speech, Senator Rubio appeared to scotch rumours that he was interested in joining the Republican ticket.To laughter from a sympathetic audience, he quipped: 'I have no interest in serving as vice president for anyone who could possibly live all eight years of the presidency.'But as newcomer from a large swing state, and a member of the U.S.'s fastest growing ethnic group, the 40-year-old ranks near the top of the running mates lists of many Republican contenders.Mrs Reagan's late husband was the 40th U.S. president, holding the job between 1981 and 1989.The former star of Westerns was regarded as one of the architects of modern U.S. conservatism. He died in 2004.
WATCH: Tea Party Hero Marco Rubio Saves Nancy Reagan From A Bad Fall:
Tea Party darling Marco Rubio captured the hearts and minds of California Republicans this week, with a three-day swing through the Golden State that include damajork night-in-shining-armor moment.Already a rising star in the Beltway, the trip launched the Florida Senator on to the West Coast Republican establishment. Rubio gladhanded the state's conservative elite, raised money from top GOP donors, and paid tribute to the ultimate California Republican with a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. If that wasn't enough to win them over, Rubio also saved the Gipper's wife from taking a potentially awful tumble. Escorting former First Lady Nancy Reagan to her seat at the Reagan Library last night, Rubio reacted quickly to catch the frail 90-year-old when her cane slipped. Watch the video below.His excellent reflexes aside, the California sweep proved that Rubio has appeal to Republicans beyond his Tea Party base. The 40-year-old swing-state Senator is already being courted by 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls, who see his Hispanic background and conservative appeal as ideal qualities in a running mate