Ted Cruz picks up first Senate endorsement from Sen. Mike Lee

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Cruz to pick up endorsement in Florida as Rubio trails polls

Carl Cameron reports from Coral Gables

Sen. Ted Cruz picked up his first Senate endorsement Thursday from Sen. Mike Lee of Utah.

“It’s time to elect Ted Cruz as the next president of the United States,” Lee said at a press conference in Coral Gables, Fla.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump has been on Cruz’s case for not being able to net support from his colleagues in Congress.

Lee’s endorsement also hits Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has been friendly with Lee.

Rubio is trailing both Cruz and Trump in the polls as they each seek the 2016 GOP nomination.

When asked by a reporter if Rubio should get out of the race, Lee said if Rubio were to ask him, he would encourage Rubio to do so.

The comment puts even more pressure on Rubio to pull out following poor showings in last week’s primaries.

During an interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, Rubio vowed to stay in the race, adding that he will continue fighting and even predicted that he would win his home state of Florida on March 15.

Lee, a former Constitutional lawyer, is among one of the most conservative senators in Congress.

While this is Cruz’s first Senate endorsement, he has already accrued more than 22 congressional endorsements including those from Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., Rep. Mark Stanford, R-S.C., and Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas.