Haridopolos-Cannon Appearance Points to U.S. Senate Endorsement

A joint appearance by state Senate President Mike Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon this week is expected to reiterate Cannon's endorsement in the Republican contest for U.S. Senate.

Haridopolos and Cannon are scheduled to speak at the the Breakfast Club in Orlando on Tuesday. The Haridopolos campaign announced that the two would hold a "joint press availability" after the meeting.

Katie Betta, Cannon's spokeswoman, told Sunshine State News Sunday that Cannon "endorsed the president during his campaign kick-off event several months ago."

But Haridopolos' website contains no official confirmation of that endorsement, carrying only a news story that said Cannon would endorse the Merritt Island Republican "according to two people who heard Cannon speak to Haridopolos supporters" on Feb. 3.

Since then, there has been friction between the two legislative leaders. Late in the session, they traded barbs over the handling of various bills, some of which failed to get hearings in one chamber after clearing the other.

"To end this way is a major disappointment to me personally and my fellow senators are heartbroken by it," Haridopolos said at the time.

Haridopolos campaign spokesman Tim Baker did not elaborate on Tuesday's joint appearance.

Last month, Haridopolos picked up endorsements from former Senate President/current state CFO Jeff Atwater and 2008 GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.