Arizona senator Jeff Flake has endorsed his Senate colleague Marco Rubio for president, the Rubio campaign announced Monday.
Flake and the man he replaced, Jon Kyl, are now both on record as supporting Rubio’s bid.
“I’m supporting Marco Rubio for president because he has the ideas, the principles, and the toughness necessary to bring reform to Washington,” Flake said in a statement released by the Rubio camp. “In an election where serious solutions are seriously lacking, Marco Rubio has proven that he can inspire more than just anger in Americans who are looking for an alternative to the status quo.”
With Rubio rival Jeb Bush now out of the race, the Florida senator has the clear track to rack up the support of uncommitted Republican office-holders and party leaders. Rubio touted the endorsements of three key South Carolina politicans before Saturday’s primary in Rep. Trey Gowdy, Gov. Nikki Haley and fellow Sen. Tim Scott. Also, in addition to netting Flake’s support Monday, Rubio has gained the backing of Nevada senator Dean Heller — Republicans caucus in Nevada on Tuesday — and North Carolina senator Thom Tillis.
Rubio and Flake worked together on the so-called “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill, which Rubio’s rivals have used to paint him as soft on immigration.
