In a statement on Friday afternoon, Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio weighed in on the cut, cap and balance plan that congressional Republicans are backing.

Whats at stake here is Americas credit rating, and the people that give us our credit rating have been very clear that we cant just raise the debt limit. They also want to see a plan to see how we are going to deal with our debt, said Rubio. The president hasnt offered a plan to do that. The Senate Democrats who run the Senate have not offered a plan to do that.

In an effort to head off a conservative stampede and to set the record straight, a statewide tea party group is advising its members that no endorsement has been made in the Republican contest for U.S. Senate.

"Individual candidates who crown themselves as a 'tea party candidate' have not been endorsed by Florida Alliance and should be questioned as to the specific individual, group or groups who endorse them. If and when a candidate is endorsed by Florida Alliance we will issue a statement," wrote Tom Gaitens, a tea partier from Southwest Florida.