The candidates running for president this year all boast national networks of support, but with Florida’s high-stakes presidential primary taking place today, many leaders in Southwest Florida were recruited in the last week to aid these leaders on the road toward the White House. While Republicans Ted Cruz and John Katich have focused their campaigning in other states, other major contenders for the Democrat and Republican nomination devoted significant resources in the Sunshine State.

Marco Rubio, Florida’s U.S. senator, made a swing through Sarasota with a rally at Dolphin Aviation a week ago today, and Venice businessman Harry Walia was among those in the crowd. A local finance chair for the Rubio campaign, he remains confident the hometown official can win the election. “He is working hard and is very enthusiastic,” Walia said. “He is the best guy who can unite the GOP.” Wallia noted Rubio was hitting every major voter area from Miami to The Villages, Sarasota being just one of those stops. Of course, even if Rubio doesn’t win the day in Florida, Wallia feels these is still a path to victory. “It’s a national election, not just for Florida,” he said. “Two days ago, [Rubio] won in Washington, D.C.”

On Friday, Chelsea Clinton swung through town as a surrogate for her mother, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. At an event at The Francis, Sarasota activist Helen Magill introduced Chelsea to the crowd. For Magill, that seemed especially poetic, as her daughter Kate has a job on the Clinton campaign right now. “I’m so proud of Kate just like I know Hillary is so proud of Chelsea,” said Magill, who feels drawn to Hillary by a shared desire to set a good example for the next generation of women and ensure this is a world where women voice their opinions instead of simply deferring to husbands and other men. 

But even when campaigns weren’t stopping in this area, leaders from this area were stumping for campaigns. Richard DeNapoli, a Venice activist who previously chaired the Republican Party of Broward County, spoke at a rally for Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in Boca Raton Sunday. “It was an amazing experience and an honor to be a part of it,” DeNapoli said in a Facebook post. “But the main point is to make sure you get out and vote.”

And former Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner could be found last week in Tampa Bay was at a campaign rally for Democrat Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont waging a competitive bid for the nomination. Kirschner was invited to a small gathering of area leaders to participate in a roundtable before the event, but felt more excited to go to the 9,000-person rally. “You can't help but wonder when we will have an opportunity like this again,” Kirschner said. “The American public are at a point of extreme frustration—from top to bottom with how our political system seems to be rigged.” He sees the Sanders campaign resetting the agenda for the people, and figures that impact will last even if Clinton becomes the nominee and adopts many of his positions.

Among all the state’s voting tonight, Florida is the biggest prize of the evening. On the Republican side, the winner-takes-all contest will give the top vote-getter 99 delegates. On the Democratic side, 214 delegates are at stake.