Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced Wednesday that he will back Sen. Marco Rubio’s bid for reelection to the U.S. Senate, which he announced earlier in the day in a change of heart.
When asked by the Tampa Times if he will support Rubio’s campaign, Bush said “if he asks, I would be happy to back him.”
A Bush spokesperson also confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Bush will support Rubio, his former protege who competed against him in the fight for the Republican nomination earlier this year.
The two, however, were fierce opponents throughout their GOP primary campaigns. Rubio crippled Bush’s campaign in November in a late October debate after Bush attacked him for missing votes in the Senate.
Bush’s super PAC, Right To Rise, came under attack for its relentless ad campaign focused upon non-Trump candidates during the race, especially against Rubio. The group spent nearly $15 million in prior to the Iowa caucuses, much of which targeted Rubio, which Bush defended at the time.
The former governor also declined to endorse Rubio following his exit after the South Carolina primary, but did support Sen. Ted Cruz after Rubio’s exit from the race after losing the Florida primary in mid-March. By that time, Cruz was the main candidate left standing against Donald Trump.
