Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has chosen to endorse Marco Rubio over Governor Charlie Crist in Florida’s GOP Senate primary.
Senior Romney advisers tell Fox News that Romney will make the official announcement Saturday, before personally campaigning with Rubio in Tampa on Monday.
Romney is the latest GOP 2008 presidential candidate to endorse Rubio. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani have already endorsed the former speaker of the Florida House.
Romney spoke with each candidate, both of whom had sought the endorsement, but in the end Romney aides say the former Governor saw Rubio as the candidate with the stronger conservative record. Romney’s PAC, Free and Strong America, will contribute $5,000 to the Rubio campaign.
Some insiders see this as a classic case of political payback.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, Florida Governor Charlie Crist was one of the most sought after endorsements in the country.
Rudy Giuliani had staked his entire campaign on the Sunshine State and thought he had the backing of Crist all lined up.
Romney also courted Crist heavily for the endorsement, but in the end Crist gave the nod to the eventual 2008 GOP nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain.
Now, surprising precisely no one, both Giuliani and Romney have chosen Rubio over Crist.