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Republican Sen. Marco聽Rubio聽of Florida聽endorsed聽Mitt聽Romney聽as the party's presidential nominee Wednesday night, saying it's increasingly clear that聽Romney聽will win the nomination and that continuing the primary fight will only damage the effort to defeat President Barack Obama.

Rubio, a freshman senator and tea party favorite, said he's convinced that聽Romney聽will govern as a conservative and will be superior to Obama as a president.

"The quicker we can get this campaign on that focus 鈥� focused on the president's record, on the alternative that we offer 鈥� the better off we're going to be as a movement but also the better off the country's going to be,"聽Rubio聽said during an interview with Fox News Channel.

Rubio聽had pledged to stay neutral in the race. But on Wednesday he said a floor fight over the nomination at the party convention in August would be "a recipe to deliver four more years to Barack Obama."

Rubio's聽endorsement聽followed that of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and came a day before former President George H.W. Bush was to back聽Romney聽鈥� additional signs that more and more party leaders are falling in line behind聽Romney聽rather than Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich or Ron Paul. Gingrich has scaled back his campaign, saying he wants to focus on winning the nomination at the convention if聽Romney聽fails to win enough delegates during the primary race.

Rubio聽has been mentioned as a potential running mate on the GOP ticket. He told Fox News that his heart, mind and focus remain on the Senate and said he doubts he would be asked to join a聽Romney聽ticket.