Colorado Senate candidate Jane Norton announced Wednesday that she plans to host a fundraiser with Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio and Pensylvania candidate Pat Toomey.
Norton is locked in a close race for the GOP nomination with Weld County DA Ken Buck. A spokesman told the Denver Post that the event is an effort to make bolster Norton's credentials as "a conservative, surrounding herself with conservatives, and will govern as a conservative."
Buck, who had little name recognition before the campaign began, has made the race for the GOP nomination into a tight contest largely by appealing to the party's right. He's earned the endorsement of many local tea party groups, as well as some national conservative organizations.
Among the national conservative leaders that have endorsed Buck over Norton are South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint. DeMint's PAC--the Senate Conservatives Fund--claims Rubio as one of its major success stories, and also endorsed Toomey in Pennsylvania.
"There are certainly other good Republicans in this race," said DeMint in his endorsement of Buck. "But I believe Ken Buck is a conservative standout who will fight the establishment in both parties when he gets to Washington."