While his party leaders have lined up behind Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida’s Republican Senate primary next year, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) announced Monday that he was endorsing former state Speaker Marco Rubio.

“I enthusiastically support Marco Rubio in his campaign for U.S. Senate,— Inhofe said in a statement released Monday afternoon. “Marco is exactly the type of conservative leader Americans need in Washington today fighting for the principles of limited government, individual liberty and personal responsibility.—

In his endorsement, Inhofe also appeared to take an indirect shot at the more moderate Crist for backing President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan earlier this year.

“In the Senate, Marco will stand up for America’s taxpayers, not with President Obama and dangerous big government spending,— he said.

While Crist is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Rubio’s growing list of conservative endorsements includes Sen. Jim Demint (R-S.C.), former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and Florida GOP Reps. Jeff Miller and Ginny Brown-Waite.