Rubio wows supporters

U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marco Rubio met an adoring crowd Monday as he traveled through Hernando County asking supporters to get the word out to vote so that they might reclaim America.

Speaking before a crowd of more than 100 devotees at the Timber Pines Lodge, Rubio spent little time on individual issues and made clear he was visiting to garner support for the Nov. 2 election between himself, Democrat Kendrick Meek and no-party candidate Gov. Charlie Crist.

He also focused on what he views as the current downfall of economic opportunity, largely due to bad government policies, and said he would be the alternative to those.

"If we continue with the policies that Washington has given us, and if we keep sending political opportunists to Washington, D.C. who don't care about any of this - our children and grandchildren will be the first Americans ever to inherit a country worse than the ones their parents inherited," Rubio said. "We will be the first Americans in history to leave the next generation worse off."

Following his speech, Rubio was met with a standing ovation and took time to shake hands with crowd members and pose for photos.

Mary Stohl, a republican supporter, said she has been a fan of Rubio since she saw him on television months ago and added that meeting him in person solidified that support.

"I like the way he thinks, I like the way he talks, I like his honesty-I just like everything," Stohl said. "He gave a very good speech and anyway, he has our vote."

Following the speech, Rubio said he was pleased with the reception he received.

"This is a long campaign - been a long campaign and with nine weeks to go," Rubio said. "It's a great crowd, and it gets us motivated and gives us the energy we need to keep going. We want to reach voters and talk to people and make sure they hear our message directly."