Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) endorsed former President Donald Trump on Sunday for the presidency on the eve of the Iowa Caucuses, reportedly marking the 23rd senator to endorse the 45th president.
Rubio, who joins Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and most of the House Republican Florida delegation in backing Trump, announced his support in a tweet Sunday afternoon.
The senior senator from the Sunshine State highlighted that policies he had pursued for years finally came to fruition during Trump’s tenure in office because the former president was not beholden to special interests.
“When Trump was in WH I achieved major policies I had worked on for years (like expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regime in Cuba & Venezuela) because we had a President who didn’t cave to special interests or let bureaucrats block us,” wrote Rubio, one of Trump’s top 2016 Republican primary rivals.
“I support Trump because that kind of leadership is the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster Biden has created,” he added. “It’s time to get on with the work of beating Biden & saving America!”
WATCH — “A Damaging New Normal”: Rubio Warns Against Trump Prosecution:
With Rubio’s backing, Trump now has endorsements from 23 Republican U.S. senators — nearly half the GOP delegation — according to FiveThirtyEight’s running endorsement tracker.
Rubio’s announcement underscores Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) trouble in coalescing backing among top Republicans from his home state and follows another high-profile vote of confidence for the 45th president on Sunday afternoon.
Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), one of Trump’s 2024 rivals who exited the GOP primary field in December, endorsed him at a rally in Indianola, Iowa, alongside North Dakota first lady Kathryn Burgum.
After Trump invited him on stage, Burgum said:
Four years ago, I was speaking on behalf of President Trump at the Iowa caucuses in Sioux City, and today, I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done, and that’s endorse Donald J. Trump for the President of the United States of America,” Burgum said to cheers from those in attendance.
“Thank you very much. That was an honor,” Trump said in response, adding Burgum “has a great record in everything he has ever done.”