Mitt Romney dropped by South Florida yesterday to suck up to the Cuban-American community, including Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and the Diaz-Balart brothers.

The endorsements of the Miami Cuban-American leaders is a leading indicator that Romney is making a big push in Florida for one of its most crucial voting blocs in the state’s Republican primary, scheduled for Jan. 31.

“It’s a major boost for any candidate when the three of them get together and move in one direction,” said Carlos Curbelo, a Miami-Dade School Board member who has worked for the Diaz-Balart brothers but has endorsed Romney rival Rick Perry.

“They represent this community,” he said. “In Miami-Dade, their support is crucial.”

Mr. Curbelo may like to think that, but not all Cuban-Americans are Republicans, and they don’t represent all of the Hispanic communities in South Florida, and certainly not in the entire state. Mr. Romney’s campaign chose to visit just about the only city where the Republicans have a foothold in the Hispanic community. Anywhere else, both he — and the Cubans — would be in a distinct minority.

But hey, as long as he can sip a cafecito with los historicos and get his son to toss out a few words in Cuban, it’s all good. So much for the minority outreach.