[O'brien:] I got a little do's on my show. Congressman, last week, I could not buy a friend on this show. This week, I can get all my songs on.
[Will Cain, Cnn Contributor:] Having your name on the top of the show doesn't do a whole lot here.
[O'brien:] Nothing. Means zero. Call me, we'll talk about it later. Welcome back, everybody. Lots to talk about, of course, because today is the day. It's Florida's GOP primary day. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, I'm sorry, has been campaigning, and I've known her for literally years and years and years. Campaigning in her home state
[Rep. Ileana Ros-lehtinen, , Florida, Foreign Policy Advisor, Romney 2012 Pres. Campaign:] I have the hardest name.
[O'brien:] You know, it's a little challenging.
[Ros-lehtinen:] Don't worry about it.
[O'brien:] It's a little challenging.
[Ros-lehtinen:] I'll go to, hey, you.
[O'brien:] You know with a name like Soledad, sometimes, I go to, hey, you, also. She is also, I should mention, the most senior Republican woman in the entire House. She has high hopes for getting back
[Ros-lehtinen:] I'm an old bag, yes. An old broad.
[O'brien:] That is so not what I said at all. I just saw you minutes ago on
[Cnn -- Ros-lehtinen:] I know what you were meaning to say. I heard between the lines.
[O'brien:] Nonsense. Nonsense. I said the vibrant and experienced Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen joining us this morning.
[Ros-lehtinen:] We are kind of excited today.
[O'brien:] Yes. Well, OK, why? Why? Talk to me about the economy. Every time we talk, hang on every time we talk, we talk often about immigration and Latinos in the state of Florida, which I don't think is inappropriate. But every single time I get checked by the congresswoman who says, we want to talk about the economy. So, let's talk about the economy. You assume, I believe, Mitt Romney, who you're supporting, is going to win this primary race like most of the polls are showing. Why do you think he's strong on the economy? What's the message?
[Ros-lehtinen:] Well, I think that he's got this message of private sector experience. I know that that's being attacked. I don't think that that's really resonates with the voters, that kind of an attack. He didn't inherit the wealth he's worked for it. And, he's got a good, strong economic package that resonates with the voters in Florida, especially South Florida where we have been hard hit with this recession. Our unemployment numbers are way higher than the national average. Also, the tourism has slowed down. They're going to see Mickey Mouse in Orlando, but they're not making that last trek down to the beaches of South Florida. So, we've been really hit. We were in a real estate and construction boom here, and those industries have screeched to a halt. So, the voters here in South Florida, especially, are wanting to hear a message of lower taxes, less regulation, certainty for the small business owner so that he doesn't have more mandates from Washington but let him be alone and be able to grow his business. That's the Mitt Romney economic message, and that's why he's doing so well in a distressed economy like Florida.
[Tom Davis, President And Ceo, Republican Main Street Partnership:] Ileana, Tom Davis, how are you?
[Ros-lehtinen:] Hey, Tom, my colleague.
[Davis:] Yes. Let me ask you, South Florida last time, 500,000 vote lead for Obama in Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties? How do you see this coming Romney is the nominee come November, of it change economic circumstances, Romney at the head of the ticket?
[Ros-lehtinen:] Well, I think that Obama has to own this economic climate. He said if we passed the stimulus bill, which was such a horrid disaster, we would our unemployment rate would not go above eight percent. We've had 36 straight months of terrible non-growth in terms of jobs.
[O'brien:] But isn't it improved? Let me stop you there. If it's improved Forgive me for interrupting you, but if it's improved, right, because earlier, the congressman and I were talking about, it's really going to be a snapshot of where is it going? And it is improving slowly.
[Ros-lehtinen:] I want it to improve.
[O'brien:] So, if it improves, doesn't that help the president?
[Ros-lehtinen:] I'm not saying, oh boy, I hope it gets worse.
[O'brien:] No, of course.
[Ros-lehtinen:] You know, even if it helps the president, I want it to improve. We want people to have jobs, but what we've seen is that he's doubling down on this failed economic policy. We heard his "State of the Union" speech. How many new federal programs was he creating during that speech at the same time that he's saying that we've got to quit spending money we don't have? And that's the Republican message. And, maybe he'll catch on to that, maybe he'll change his tune, but the programs that he's putting out are going to increase our debt, increase our deficit, and not put certainty for small business owners, so we won't be able to create jobs. That's why Mitt Romney's economic message is going to resonate throughout the country, because President Obama said, if I don't approve this economic situation in three years, then this is going to be a one-term proposition. Well, we're going to hold him accountable for his words.
[O'brien:] We'll se how it goes in the state of Florida today. As you can see, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen is a very strong Romney supporter, obviously. Thanks for your time. Appreciate it, congresswoman. Ahead this morning on
[Starting Point -- Ros-lehtinen:] Thank you, Soledad.
[O'brien:] you bet. CNN exclusive, we're talking to Marco Rubio. Would the GOP have a better chance to the White House if he said yes to being a VP? New polls on that. Also, the fight over airline fares. There are some new rules and now force the airlines to disclose the entire cost of ticket including the taxes and the fees. Some lawmakers, though, want it overturned. Congressman, we're going to talk about that. You're watching STARTING POINT straight ahead.