Marco Rubio Backs Tom Cotton Over Mark Pryor in Arkansas

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., announced he was endorsing U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to challenge U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., in 2014. This is Rubios first Senate endorsement of the 2014 election cycle. Rubio is expected to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

In an email to supporters on Tuesday, Rubio pointed to Cottons service in the military as a reason he was backing him.

Tom began serving our nation as a platoon leader in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division, Rubio wrote. When his military service concluded, he took up another form of public service by representing Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives, where his status as a strong conservative leader has been indisputable.

Once elected, we can be confident that Tom will be another conservative friend in Washington who will ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit an exceptional America from this generation, Rubio added. He won't stand down when it comes to repealing Obamacare, fighting to lower our runaway debt, and turning back the tide of big government that has taken over Washington in recent years.

Helping Tom Cotton secure a victory in Arkansas is vital to conservatives nationwide who wish to reclaim America from the liberals that have taken our country in the wrong direction, Rubio insisted. Doing so requires winning the majority in the U.S. Senate.

While he did not mention Pryor by name, Rubio labeled the Democratic incumbent as one of Barack Obamas most reliable votes, which means Washington Democrats will be pumping millions into this race.