U.S. Rep. John Kline, Minnesota's most senior Republican in Congress, said on Thursday that he supports Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the presidential campaign.
"Marco Rubio's bold, conservative ideas are what America needs and I am pleased to endorse his candidacy for president," Kline tweeted on Thursday afternoon.
Rubio has been accumulating endorsements in recent days from a series of prominent Republican elected officials, after finishing a strong third in the Iowa Caucus on Monday. He trailed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and New York businessman Donald Trump, and is arguing that he is best-positioned to win the general election for Republicans.
Minnesota's other two Republican congressman, Reps. Erik Paulsen and Tom Emmer, have not yet publicly backed a candidate.
Kline has represented southeastern Minnesota's District 2 since 2003, which includes parts of the the southeastern Twin Cities metro area. He is not running for re-election this year.
Minnesota's caucus is March 1. Both Cruz and Rubio have visited the state in recent weeks and both have secured backing from prominent Republican elected officials, activists and party operatives.
