LAS VEGAS — The phone won’t stop ringing — that’s how bundlers for Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign are describing communications with former supporters of Jeb Bush.
Time is short to counter Donald Trump, the front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination, and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who has won a contest, the Iowa caucuses — something Rubio has yet to do. But Rubio’s campaign, including volunteer fundraisers that have been with the Floridian since the beginning, are buoyed by the cash infusion they see coming with Bush out of the race and the consolidation toward Rubio that Bush’s exit makes possible.
“Most of the contributor class that went with Jeb has a soft spot for Marco,” said a major Republican donor that remains neutral in the race but has been in touch with many of his counterparts. “Many of them will now feel free to start funding Marco’s campaign and PACs.”
Rubio supporters say they began fielding calls and emails — and receiving financial commitments — even before Bush, the former two-term governor of Florida, had concluded his concession speech Saturday evening in South Carolina.
In some instances the tone of the conversation was solemn, given the fierce rivalry that had developed between Bush and Rubio in the preceding months. But their remains pre-existing affection for Rubio among Bush supporters and continued to desire to stop Trump, the clear front-runner with wins in New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as Cruz. Max-out donors and big-time bundlers for Bush are telling Rubio moneymen that they’re ready to do the same for the senator.
A Rubio bundler and longtime supporter told the Washington Examiner that he has personally been approached by about a half dozen Bush donors who bundled significant cash for the former Florida governor. They work in senior level positions on K Street, either as heads of associations or contract lobbyists, and held fairly “high-level” positions in the administration of President George W. Bush. They stuck with Bush out of loyalty but are now “fully on board.”
This Rubio bundler, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private conversations, said the feeling among the Bush recruits is that the race for the GOP nomination is still in play. “None of those guys haven any interest in supporting Trump or Cruz, and see Marco as only alternative at this point,” this longtime Rubio supporter said.
On Monday, Rubio campaign manager Terry Sullivan presented a bullish picture of Rubio’s prospects during a conference call for campaign contributors and other supporters. Sullivan predicted a strong finish in Tuesday’s Nevada caucuses while counseling patience, saying that defeating Trump and winning the nomination was doable, but would take time. Meanwhile, Sullivan said to expect to see a flood of support from Bush world in the coming days and weeks.
“Terry said they are doing well converting Jeb donors and endorsements,” said a source who participated in the conference call. “They have not announced many of them yet. The number of elected officials endorsing has more than doubled in last 48 hours, and they’re just waiting [for the right time] to roll out many ex-Jeb folks.”
Conservative Solutions PAC, the independent pro-Rubio super PAC, is the other beneficiary of Bush’s exit from the 2016 race.
The group is on the air in most of the states that will vote on March 1, in the Super Tuesday contest that includes a bloc of southern states and has been dubbed the “SEC primary.” Conservative Solutions PAC’s television, radio, digital and direct mail advertising there have been made possible in part by a cash infusion from former Bush supporters. The super PAC’s newest television spot attacks Trump for lacking presidential temperament, and also hits Cruz.
Rubio’s challenge is that it’s late February, and it’s unclear if this rush of money and endorsements have shown up in time to help him win primaries March. Several states vote next month, amounting to a last chance of sorts, albeit a doable one, for Rubio (and Cruz, for that matter) to overtake Trump. Complicating matters for Rubio is the continued presence in the race of Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Kasich is polling in single digits and not competing everywhere. He’s been working furiously to expand his campaign since his surprise second place finish in New Hampshire on Feb. 9, and can’t match the operations field by the three front-runners. But Kasich continues to attract endorsements, and presumably, money, that might otherwise go to Rubio. With Cruz and Rubio dividing a large portion of the anti-Trump vote, Kasich’s candidacy is a problem for the Florida senator.
One veteran Republican operative in Washington said it’s “too early to tell” how pronounced Rubio’s advantage at recruiting Bush supporters will be. “I expect a lot of Bush fundraisers to go to Marco,” this GOP insider said. “Some might go to Kasich.”
