Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R) said on Monday that he would welcome the endorsement of ex-Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska). The conservative insurgent candidate challenging Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) said that Palin's endorsement would be more than appropriate because they agree on nearly every issue.
"I can't think of anything her and I disagree with off the top of my head," he told CBS News in an interview.
Though Crist is the favored candidate of the Republican establishment, having already gained the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rubio has cut into Crist's lead in the polls by running a conservative campaign that has attracted the support of grassroots Republican activists.
Palin has not endorsed a candidate in the Sunshine State's GOP Senate primary, but she did back Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's special House election that took place last week. Rubio also threw his support behind Hoffman, who ran to the right of centrist GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava.
Like Hoffman challenged Scozzafava on her support for abortion rights, gay marriage, and card check legislation; Rubio has questioned Crist's support for the federal stimulus package passed in February. Crist has since said he no longer supports the stimulus but some conservatives still view him with suspicion for his earlier position.