Rubio to GOP candidates: Go easy on the rhetoric

Sen. Marco Rubio has some advice for Republicans campaigning in his home state of Florida: tone it down.

Newt Gingrich's campaign pulled a Spanish-language ad labeling rival Mitt Romney as anti-immigrant after Rubio complained Wednesday it was "inflammatory." Appearing on "CBS This Morning" Thursday, Rubio further explained his reasoning, saying the increasingly heated rhetoric between the two camps could have a negative impact in the general election.

"[Florida's] a swing state. Whoever wins it ... has to come back in the fall. ... I want to make sure we don't have candidates saying things that they have to defend or clean up."

And while immigration is traditionally a hot campaign topic in Florida, the freshman Republican senator, who is the son of Cuban immigrants, stressed that most Latinos aren't single-issue voters.

Gingrich pulls ad after complaint from Rubio
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"What's on people's minds is what's on your mind and my mind and everybody else's mind: How am I going to provide for my family?"

Rubio had specifically taken issue with Gingrich's ad, but professed admiration for the former House speaker, saying he had a "very positive message to offer."

But he refused to endorse any candidate - "nice try," he jokingly told Erica Hill - and said they all offered better alternatives to President Barack Obama.

Rubio also deflected speculation that he could wind up as the running mate of the eventual GOP nominee.

"I want to help the nominee ... I don't think it'll be as the vice presidential nominee, though."

Watch Rubio's full interview in the video player above.