Nevada Sen. Dean Heller endorses Rubio

“Marco understands Nevada, he grew up here — I look forward to campaigning with him today,” he added.

Heller’s imprimatur could help Rubio thread the needle with crucial pockets of the Silver State electorate. Other than Lieutenant Governor Mark Hutchison, who chairs Rubio’s Nevada campaign, Heller is the state’s most prominent LDS member, making his stamp no small coup for Rubio: LDS voters gave Mitt Romney his landslide Nevada victories in 2008 and 2012, and Rubio’s team has courted them accordingly. Heller also has clout in Washoe County — the state’s key swing county — having represented it in Congress from 2007 to 2011.