Huckabee Endorses Haridopolos in Florida U.S. Senate Primary

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee dipped his toe in Florida’s political waters earlier today by endorsing Senate President Mike Haridopolos in next summer’s Republican U.S. Senate primary.  According to The Buzz, the former presidential candidate and his wife also made maximum individuals contributions to the Haridopolos campaign.

The socially conservative Huckabee, one of nearly two-dozen potential contenders for his party’s presidential nomination next year, also wrote a fundraising letter for the Haridopolos campaign, stating that the country needs “more street-smart fighters in the Senate — like Marco Rubio — capable of stopping the Democrats’ unprecedented spending and government intervention.”

The endorsement was hardly surprising. Haridopolos had served as co-chairman of Huckabee’s presidential campaign in Florida in 2008, but the Melbourne Republican made the most of it.

“I am honored to have such a tremendous conservative leader like Gov. Huckabee stand with me and other Floridians to tell Washington that enough is enough,” said Haridopolos in a press release announcing Huckabee‘s support. “We’ve had enough of the broken promises, record borrowing, and deficits coming from the failed policies of Bill Nelson and Barack Obama.”

In addition to former Sen. George LeMieux and ex-state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, Haridopolos is one of several Republicans hoping to unseat popular Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.