Marco Rubio virtually rallies voters for Dane Eagle

Big get: Marco Rubio is endorsing Dane Eagle for Congress.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio virtually rallied voters ahead of one of Florida’s most contentious Congressional primaries. He encouraged voters to back Cape Coral Republican Dane Eagle in Florida’s 19^th Congressional District.

In a Facebook Live video, Florida’s senior U.S. Senator made the case that Eagle would provide the experience needed in the U.S. Capitol

“Hey, it’s Sen. Marco Rubio here and I just want to ask you to get out and vote for my friend, Dane Eagle, in Congressional District 19,” Rubio said.

“You know Dane has proven himself as a conservative leader as the Republican majority leader in the Florida House. In these uncertain times, Dane has the experience we need here in Washington to defeat Nancy Pelosi and help take back the House. Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18, and every vote counts. So please make sure you get out and vote for Dane Eagle.”

Rubio, now the longest-serving Republican holding statewide office in Florida, endorsed Eagle in June. It was a big get for Eagle, one of nine Republicans running in CD 19 to succeed retiring Rep. Francis Rooney.

Notably, this race will have little to do with whether Pelosi remains House Speaker or if Republicans retake the House. It leans heavily Republican, with Rooney winning reelection in 2018 with 62% of the vote. But high turnout in the Lee-Collier region could make the difference between whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden wins Florida in the Presidential election.

Polls have shown Eagle as one of the top four candidates jockeying for first place in the district. An internal poll released by Eagle’s campaign in late July showed him winning. Two polls commissioned by Florida Politics showed him in fourth in early July behind Casey Askar, Byron Donalds and William FIglesthaler, respectively, but then a close third in early August, with Donalds, Figlesthaler and Eagle bunched about a percentage point apart.