The Hawaiian couples retreat was marketed as a chance to receive “godly counsel on marriage,” and it featured daily seminars on the art of apologizing, the perils of miscommunication and the power of expressing emotion. “Admit your anger,” read the slide from one presentation.

Sitting quietly in the audience, absorbing it all, were a couple whose identities aroused unusual interest: Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and his wife, Jeanette. Participants like Alfredo Romero eagerly sought them out, curious to understand their motivation for attending.

Mr. Rubio, a Republican who would eventually become a candidate for president, expressed a common desire: “To be on the same page as his wife,” Mr. Romero recalled. In a playful nod to that quest, the Rubios wore rival T-shirts. “Mr. Right,” read his. “Mrs. Always Right,” declared hers.

Read the article “Marco Rubio’s Wife: A Partner Ready to Puncture His Ego” on nytimes.com.