Sen. Marco Rubio opened the door further to the possibility to running for re-election after meeting with Florida Lt. Gov Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a Republican Senate candidate and a longtime friend.  

“Carlos and I had a conversation on Sunday in Orlando before I left,” Rubio told reporters on Wednesday. “Obviously, I take very seriously everything that’s going on. Not just in Orlando but in our country. I’ve enjoyed my service here a lot.”  

The Florida Republican’s remarks came after reports that Lopez-Cantera suggested Rubio run again for his Senate seat following the shooting that killed 49 people Sunday at an Orlando nightclub.  

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Republicans Urge Rubio to Reconsider Senate Run

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Rubio said he would return home over the weekend to spend time with his family.  

The filing deadline for the Senate seat is June 24, and Rubio has previously mentioned his friendship with Lopez-Cantera when asked if he would reconsider his decision to not seek re-election.   

Contact Garcia at EricGarcia@cqrollcall.com and follow him @EricMGarcia

Contact Lesniewski at nielslesniewski@cqrollcall.com and follow him on Twitter @nielslesniewski .