Marco Rubio’s campaign rolled out a series of big endorsements on Monday, including that of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The Florida senator and Republican presidential hopeful now leads the GOP field with the most congressional endorsements and remains the only 2016 contender to have earned the support of several sitting governors.
“The more I’ve watched this election unfold, the more I’ve come to see that Marco Rubio is the only candidate who can unite our nation the way Ronald Reagan once did,” Hutchinson said in a statement released by Rubio’s campaign. “Not only is Marco uniquely capable of rallying Americans behind a conservative vision for the future, but he also fully understands what it takes to keep us safe in this dangerous world.”
The former U.S. attorney and Department of Homeland Security undersecretary added that Americans need Rubio’s “optimism and strength in the White House.”
Hutchinson is the third incumbent governor to endorse Rubio, following Nebraska Gov. Sam Brownback and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. His support comes just over one week before Arkansas voters will participate in the state’s “Super Tuesday” primary on March 1.
Rubio, who recently corrected the course of his campaign after pulling off a tight second-place finish in the South Carolina Republican primary, also secured the backing of former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and Sens. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., this week.
