A few more Arkansas endorsements are on deck for Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio. A press release from the campaign said an event at the Capitol on Tuesday will "announce a growing list of support from Arkansas lawmakers."
Support from some of the state's most prominent elected officials has yet to be secured after former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee dropped out of the race following a 9th place Iowa finish.
Governor Asa Hutchinson, U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman, and U.S. Reps. French Hill and Bruce Westerman have yet to declare. All but Sen. Cotton were previously backing Huckabee. Cotton has not endorsed anyone this primary.
The U.S. Senator from Florida has already garnered a sizeable share of Arkansas endorsements, including: U.S. Reps. Steve Womack and Rick Crawford, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, State Senate Majority Leader Jim Hendren and State House Majority Leader Ken Bragg. Womack, Crawford, and Griffin joined on after Huckabee's exit.
Carli Fiorina and Chris Christie stopped their bid for the GOP nomination after the New Hampshire primary. Fiorina had the support of three northwest Arkansas state legislators: Rebecca Petty, Robin Lundstrum, and Grant Hodges. State Rep. Doug House backed Christie.
Over e-mail last week state Rep. Lundtsrum of Springdale said she was "very undecided." Rep.Petty of Rogers wrote the same, "I am not leaning at all yet. Been very focused on my race, but will be spending a time this weekend or next to figure out where I am. "
State Rep. Grant Hodges of Rogers, the youngest in the legislature, didn't commit in an e-mail but said he planned to announce at a then-unannounced event at the Capitol on Tuesday. I'm unaware of any competing GOP presidential primary endorsement announcements that day.
"I was proud to support Carly Fiorina. She brought a much-needed private sector, private citizen background to the race for president. I do have plans to support another candidate. There will be an announcement on Tuesday at the Capitol. I'd like to wait until then so I don't preempt the campaign."
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has picked up support from about 10 state legislators. David Ramsey at the Arkansas Times compiled a handy list just prior to the Iowa caucus.
The Arkansas primary is part of Super Tuesday, March 1. In previous election cycles the Arkansas primary was in May, late in the process.
