McDonnell, Bolling headline fundraiser for Florida's Marco Rubio

Virginia's top two Republicans, Gov. Bob McDonnell and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, will headline a fundraiser next month for Marco Rubio of Florida, a conservative who is challenging his state's sitting governor for a U.S. Senate seat.

The Sept. 16 reception will take place at the Hanover Tavern, a historic restaurant and theater outside Richmond.

Tickets to the general reception are $35, but packages that include access to the VIP reception, recognition at the event and in the program go for up to $2,400, the maximum allowed in a primary or general election under federal law. View the invitation.

Rubio, the former speaker of the Florida House who is considered a rising star in his party, had mounted a formidable challenge against Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican primary. But in April Crist announced that he would run as an independent.

Update: Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli previously headlined a fundraiser for Rubio in Coral Gables. Read our earlier coverage.

McDonnell and Crist, both former attorneys generals who were subsequently elected governor, had met each over the years. But Phil Cox, McDonnell's senior political adviser, said the governor has come to know Rubio well.

Bolling adopted Rubio's proposal to travel the state and gather ideas from residents at meetings he dubbed idearaisers. Rubio published those ideas in a book called 100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future and pushed for many of them in his first year as speaker. Randy Marcus, Bolling's chief of staff, said the two men met recently when Bolling flew to Florida last month.

Rubio and Crist will face the winner of this month's Democratic primary -- either U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami or Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene.