Incoming House Speaker Marco Rubio was in Washington this week to plug his proposal for an early presidential primary in Florida and promote his 100 Ideas.

Rubio, in keeping with his promise to cooperate with Democrats, met with Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Broward and Rahm Emanual, who headed the Democratic campaign committee. Rubio, accompanied by state Reps. Ray Sansom (R-Destin) and Dean Cannon (R-Winter Park), also met with Sen. Mel Martinez, who has been picked to chair the Republican National Committee.

In a meeting with reporters and editors from the Times and our sister publication Governing magazine, Rubio said he was going full-speed ahead with his plan for a Florida primary after the vote in New Hampshire.

"We understand nationally this could trigger a reaction from other states," Rubio said. "But we feel it's important."

He said he was not deterred by a plan from the Democratic National Committee that did not include Florida in the early primaries.

"Clearly they could disregard Florida's votes - at their peril," he said.