Marco Rubio speaks at campaign stop in Melbourne

Rubio made appearance at That Little Restaurant in Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Fla. – U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio made a campaign appearance in Melbourne on Monday, one day before the crucial Florida Republican primary.

Rubio spoke to a crowd of about 250 at That Little Restaurant at 1749 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne. The restaurant was an early stop on Rubio's successful U.S. Senate campaign in 2010.

In a 10-minute speech, Rubio encouraged his supporters to vote on Tuesday, made a few jabs at Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and called the GOP primary "a choice between optimism and fear."

There are 99 convention delegates at stake in Florida's winner-take-all Republican primary, which is seen as a make-or-break events for Rubio's campaign.

Rubio is one of four remaining GOP candidates for president. The front-runner is billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who has won 458 delegates so far, with 1,237 needed for the nomination. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has 359 delegates, Rubio has 151 and Ohio Gov. John Kasich has 54.

Bill Goldsmith, who co-owns That Little Restaurant with his wife, Noreen, said he is excited that Rubio visited his restaurant.

"He's been here a couple of times" during his 2010 campaign, once for a campaign strategy lunch meeting and once for a campaign rally, Goldsmith said.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott held a campaign rally outside That Little Restaurant during his first campaign in 2010, and stopped there for lunch in 2014 while he was in Brevard County for several meetings.

Rubio also was in Brevard last Nov. 6 for a fundraiser at the Indian Harbour Beach home of attorneys Geoff and Susan Smith.


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