Roberson endorses Marco Rubio in Republican presidential race

By Kyle Roerink

Monday, Oct. 12, 2015 | 11:15 a.m.

GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio landed another Nevada Republican endorsement today, this time from congressional candidate and state Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson.

The announcement follows Rubio’s weekend campaign visit to Las Vegas, where he held a series of private and public meetings with supporters.

Rubio, who spent his teen years in Nevada, is banking on his ties to the state to gain an early victory in February’s GOP caucus — the nation’s third presidential nominating contest.

So far, Rubio, 44, has in his ring Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison, former Gov. Bob List and dozens of state officials and political players.

His campaign team in Nevada has experience running operations for another popular Republican with Latino roots: Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Sandoval has yet to endorse a presidential candidate. Many Nevada moderates are weighing the Florida senator against another candidate from Rubio’s home state: Jeb Bush, who has scored endorsements from U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei and Sen. Dean Heller.

Rubio and Bush have the most grassroots and professional support in the state. But for now, both are still behind Donald Trump, who visited Las Vegas last week.

The GOP candidates will square off again in their next debate Oct. 28 at the University of Colorado in Boulder.