Marco Rubio is welcoming fellow Floridian Jeb Bush into the Republican race for president.
Bush formally gets into the 2016 campaign Monday with an afternoon speech in Miami. Rubio has been campaigning since April, when he also launched his campaign from south Florida.
In a statement, Rubio says he's not exaggerating when he calls Bush his friend. He says, quote, "he is someone I like, care for and respect."
The 62-year-old Bush was the 44-year-old Rubio's mentor as Rubio was coming up through Florida politics. Many thought that Rubio, now a U.S. senator, wouldn't enter the 2016 contest once Bush signaled his interest.
Rubio is running anyway. He regularly calls for "a new generation of leadership" while on the campaign trail. Rubio took a different approach on Monday, calling Bush "a passionate advocate for what he believes."
