U.S. Reps. Crawford, Womack, Lt. Gov. Griffin endorse Sen. Rubio for president

With about four weeks before a key March 1 “SEC” primary in Arkansas and several other southern states, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., picked up several key endorsements Wednesday from three Arkansas political leaders.

In a statement released Wednesday (Feb. 3) morning, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, R-Ark. each endorsed Rubio.

Crawford, Womack and Griffin originally endorsed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for the Republican nomination last year. However, Huckabee dropped out of the race late Monday after a ninth place finish in the Iowa Republican caucus.

Crawford said the senator has the experience and know-how to get things done.

“Marco Rubio is a serious conservative leader that offers the right policies to reverse the damage done by Barack Obama these past seven years” Crawford said. “Marco has the ability to unite and expand our party, and also will be able to defeat whomever the Democrats nominate this fall. I’m proud to throw my support behind his candidacy and will be working hard for him in Arkansas and across the country on issues like our debt crisis where we face over $19 trillion in debt and growing.”

Womack, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, said Rubio will provide strong leadership in a difficult time.

“Marco Rubio is a next-generation conservative who has lived the American dream and offers innovative ideas for America’s future,” Womack said. “With Marco Rubio, we are getting an unabashed conservative that can win a general election and find new solutions to the lingering challenges facing our country. I am proud to back Marco and encourage Arkansans to join us in supporting him on March 1.”

In a statement, Griffin said Rubio will provide a strong test for Democrats in the fall.

“We can’t afford to elect a president who will continue Barack Obama’s failed policies,” Griffin said. “Marco Rubio is the Republican presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Democrats are most scared to run against because his energy, enthusiasm and positive conservative vision for a stronger America contrasts with the Democrats tired, old ideas.”

While Crawford, Womack and Griffin announced their endorsements Wednesday, other officials said they were taking a wait and see approach. A spokesman for U.S. Sen. John Boozman’s campaign said Wednesday that Boozman has not made an endorsement decision. Boozman last year endorsed Huckabee for the White House bid.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was interviewed Wednesday for a segment on this Sunday’s Talk Business and Politics on KATV. Cotton said he was not endorsing anyone at this point and has no timetable for an endorsement. However, he said he would support the Republican nominee and that any GOP candidate in the race would be better than the two Democrats seeking the office – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

A spokesman for Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, said Wednesday morning that Hill also has not made a decision on an endorsement. The spokesman said Hill has been concentrating on legislative bills this week at the Capitol. On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, said he was remaining neutral in the endorsement issue. A spokesman for Westerman’s campaign reiterated the statement Wednesday.

“I’m going to monitor the primary process as the field of candidates narrows and observe which candidates start talking about how to avoid the fiscal train wreck that $19 trillion of debt leads to and who will best carry out the primary role of the federal government to provide for the common defense keeping Americans safe,” Westerman said.

J.R. Davis, a spokesman for Gov. Asa Hutchinson, said Wednesday that Hutchinson will likely make a decision on an endorsement closer to the March 1 primary.