The Republican Establishment moved on quickly
The end of Jeb Bush’s campaign led to a flurry of big-name Republican endorsements over the weekend.
After the former Florida governor left the GOP primary, a number of big names weighed in, with Bush’s former protégé, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, by far the clear winner.
The most notable endorsement came from former Republican presidential candidate and Senate majority leader Bob Dole, who previously backed Bush and has made clear that he does not want to see Texas Senator Ted Cruz win the nomination.
“Now that my good friend Jeb Bush is no longer running, I’m supporting Rubio,” Dole told ABC on Monday. “He wants to grow the party as opposed to Cruz. I don’t know what he wants to grow.”
Other endorsements Monday for Rubio included U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Jeff Flake, former Republican presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and U.S. Representatives Jeff Miller, Gus Bilirakis and Cresent Hardy.
Meantime, former Homeland Security head and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who had previously backed Bush, endorsed Ohio Governor John Kasich.