Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio took some more shots at rival Donald Trump and stressed the importance of Florida's primary in an interview with NBC 6 Tuesday.
Rubio, speaking from Sarasota with NBC 6 anchor Jawan Strader, said he believes the winner of Florida's March 15 primary will be the Republican nominee.
"It's an unusual race obviously, you have a very unusual frontrunner, someone the majority of Republicans don't want to see as our nominee, so as these elections usually seem to it comes down to Florida," Rubio said. "I believe the winner of the Republican primary in Florida will not only take 99 delegates, I think the winner of the Florida primary is going to be the Republican nominee. If it's Donald Trump that means were going to lose this election and the only other person that can win in Florida is me."
Rubio, who is from Miami, added he's hoping for a boost in his home state.
"It's my home state, it's the most important state in the primary cycle to this point, I think it'll be decisive, we win in Florida, I will be the Republican nominee," he said.
Rubio denied reports that advisers have asked him to drop out of the race, calling the reports "100 percent false."
"I have people begging me to do everything possible to win in Florida and stay in," Rubio said.
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Rubio also made his case for why Republican voters should pick him over Trump.
"This is a guy that's been insulting people in the most outrageous terms possible for over a year now, he has mocked a disabled journalist, he made fun of a female journalist, he's made fun of Hispanics and minority groups," Rubio said. "There comes a point where you've got to stand up to the guy and say 'enough is enough.'"
Rubio was asked if he'd support Trump if Trump is the GOP nominee.
"I don't want Hillary Clinton to be president, that's how bad I think she is, that's why it's a tough question to answer, because I think Donald Trump would be a disaster for the Republican Party, I really do, I think he would lose, I think he has dangerous ideas on foreign policy, I think he has dangerous ideas on the economy and I think he has not been a serious candidate in terms of talking about important issues," Rubio said. "So you wouldn't have to ask that question of me if it was anybody else, if anyone else was the frontrunner, that question would not be asked."
Trump also appeared on NBC 6 earlier Tuesday, attacking Rubio's Senate voting record and calling him "a very bad representative of the people of Florida."
Rubio responded to the criticism of his Senate voting record, saying it compares with the rest of the nominees.
"I have a better voting record than Hillary Clinton did, Barack Obama did, the same voting record Ted Cruz has, better than John McCain, better than John Kerry. When you're running for president you're gonna miss votes," Rubio said. "If there's an important vote where I'm gonna be decisive, I've canceled campaign events and flown back to D.C."
Rubio added that although being on the campaign trail and away from South Florida has been tough on his family at times, it's also been an educational experience.
"The absences from home and not being around everyday has been difficult," he said. "But by and large it's been a real blessing for us."
