This morning's lesson: In politics, money can buy you love.

The Club For Growth, a key player in the GOP conservative-vs.-moderate drama unfolding across the country, endorsed Marco Rubio in the Florida senate race. Rubio has long espoused the values of the Club, but it had declined to publicly back him against Gov. Charlie Crist in the GOP primary after early fundraising numbers showed Rubio sputtering out against Crist's legendary money machine. But that was before declining poll numbers and the conservative anger at Crist's support of President Obama's stimulus package pushed Rubio into the national spotlight. Crist's fundraising has declined, while Rubio's has grown at an exponential pace. That, it seems, has pushed the Club For Growth off the fence in Florida and squarely into the Rubio camp.

From the Club press release this morning:

"Marco Rubio is the real deal, one of the brightest young stars in American politics today, and a proven champion of economic liberty," said Club President Chris Chocola. "He is a dynamic spokesman for the principles of limited government and economic freedom, and he will make a fantastic Senator."

What does the endorsement mean for Rubio? For one thing, it reinforces his role as the next champion of the conservatism that brought national attention and money to a little-known district in upstate New York a month ago. For another, it means those same national conservatives that felled Dede Scozzafava in NY-23 have set their sights on a much bigger target: the perennial swing state of Florida.

The Club For Growth has already begun running television ads for Rubio, who already had the endorsement Dick Armey, another central player in the NY-23 race.