David Jolly's Republican stronghold continues to grow in his bid for reelection in Florida's 13th Congressional district.
Endorsements for the moderate Republican have flown in since Jolly jumped out of the U.S. Senate race and back into the race for the U.S. House earlier this summer.
On Monday, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam tipped his hat to Jolly, giving him the nod for reelection and applauding his political integrity.
"David Jolly has a proven record of putting people before politics and his community's interests before Washington's," Putnam said. "David has demonstrated he has the capability to break through the dysfunction in Washington. He is without a doubt the right man for the job."
Jolly called the endorsement an "honor," complimenting the commissioner in turn.
"He's one of Florida's greatest leaders, committed always to economic growth and individual liberty - a free market constitutionalist whose support is a true honor," he said.
Putnam isn't the only big name Republican to go to bat for Jolly. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and scores of Florida congressmen are also saying Jolly is the man for the job. U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Gus Bilirakis have both signed their names for Team Jolly come November.
Their endorsements, on top of other statewide coalitions and business groups, signal a sense of support which will be much-needed in Jolly's bid to return to Capitol Hill next year.
Jolly will battle against former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for the seat, in a county which has typically leaned more Democratic in recent years.
Crist has a lengthy history in Florida politics. A Republican for years, he served as a member of the Florida Senate, was Florida's Education Commissioner, Attorney General and was Florida's governor from 2007-2011.
Crist hasn't held office since then, but that hasn't stopped him from trying. In 2014, he made a run for his old seat at the governor's mansion but lost out to incumbent Gov. Rick Scott by a one percent margin.
Crist has been quiet since 2014, but when Florida redistricting changed the boundaries of CD13, Crist jumped in the race, ready to jump back into the elected official role he held for so many years.
"The reason I got in this race is, No. 1, this is my home; I care about it deeply," Crist told the Tampa Bay Times last week. "This is where I grew up, where I went to elementary school, middle school, and I played high school football here. It's where my family lives. My dad practiced medicine here … and public service is in my heart."
Critics say, however, that Crist doesn't necessarily want to commit to making change or pushing policies in Washington, but instead just wants another line on his resume.
Republicans ran an entire campaign on "Charlie the flip-flopper" in 2014, and Jolly, his Republican opponent, had fierce words for him as well.
"How do you run a race where Republicans hate you and Democrats don't trust you?" Jolly wondered on Friday with Sunshine State News.
Those criticisms aren't new from Jolly. Even when he was running for Senate, he dubbed Crist a "huckster" who he didn't support running for Congress.
Crist, too, has had big endorsements in his battle to November. President Barack Obama put his weight behind the former Florida governor in June, as have other federal representatives like U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.
The endorsements are undoubtedly going to continue to pour in until November, setting up the showdown for one of the hottest -- if not the hottest -- race in Florida this year.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
