JACKSONVILLE,Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio for the Republican nomination for president Sunday afternoon.
The mayor explained his support for Rubio, saying the senator is capable of reaching across generations and across the country.
“I think Marco can unite the party and county. I think he is a generational leader that can cross party lines and all demographics. He believes in a new American century. He also is an outsider. He ran against the establishment when he ran for the U.S senate when he ran against Charlie Crist in 2010, when everyone said he couldn't win. He took his conservative message and vision and pulled off an upset that has been very good for the state of Florida,” said Curry.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Rubio last week and campaigned with him leading up to Rubio's second-place finish in Saturday's Republican primary. Rubio finished 11 points behind Donald Trump's 33 percent of the vote and a fraction of a point ahead of Sen. Ted Cruz.
Curry's endorsement comes after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush suspended his campaign on Saturday night following his dismal fourth-place showing in the South Carolina primary.
“It’s an important election and I’ve said for months now that I believe we need the right candidate to lead our party as president to be the nominee," Curry said.
Rubio denied a report Sunday that former Massachusetts governor and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney will endorse the Florida senator for the party’s nomination.
“I have no reason to believe that he’s anywhere near endorsing anyone,” Rubio told reporters “We would love to have his endorsement. We would love to have the help of everyone, because we have got to bring the Republican Party together.”