Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Add another senator to Marco Rubio’s growing list of backers.
Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, endorsed Rubio in his 2016 presidential bid.
“I’m endorsing his candidacy and am very optimistic about his prospects,” he told CNN host Jake Tapper on Wednesday.
Toomey was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He’s on the Senate’s finance, banking and budget committees. Prior to election to the Senate, Toomey was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We face a huge national security crisis, obviously emanating from the Middle East. There is tension all around the world. I think Marco has demonstrated a clear understanding. He’s done the hard work, he’s very knowledgeable, thoughtful, he’s a smart guy. He’s demonstrated the leadership,” Toomey said. “Domestically, I think we’ve sometimes have a crisis of confidence, and Marco has an extraordinary ability, I think, to communicate and to inspire people. I think he’s going to be a really strong leader.”
Toomey said Rubio has “been a very important leader on foreign policy” and has a history of “taking on the establishment of Florida.”
“Marco has consistently been a solid, thoughtful conservative leader,” he said.
The endorsement comes one day after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott formally threw his support behind Rubio.
