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Jeb Bush backs Ted Cruz for Republican nomination Jeb Bush backs Ted Cruz for Republican nomination
(35 minutes later)
The former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has endorsed Ted Cruz for the nomination, saying the US senator from Texas represents the party’s best chance of winning the White House.The former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has endorsed Ted Cruz for the nomination, saying the US senator from Texas represents the party’s best chance of winning the White House.
In a statement, the former Florida governor called Cruz a consistent, principled conservative who had demonstrated an ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests.In a statement, the former Florida governor called Cruz a consistent, principled conservative who had demonstrated an ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests.
“Washington is broken, and the only way Republicans can hope to win back the White House and put our nation on a better path is to support a nominee who can articulate how conservative policies will help people rise up and reach their full potential,” Bush said.“Washington is broken, and the only way Republicans can hope to win back the White House and put our nation on a better path is to support a nominee who can articulate how conservative policies will help people rise up and reach their full potential,” Bush said.
The 63-year-old, whose father and brother have served as president, dropped out of the nomination race after losing in South Carolina on 20 February.The 63-year-old, whose father and brother have served as president, dropped out of the nomination race after losing in South Carolina on 20 February.
The endorsement comes as establishment Republicans scramble to stop frontrunner Donald Trump from winning the nomination because of his divisive proposals, including a plan to deport 11 million undocumented migrants. The endorsement comes as establishment Republicans scramble to stop the frontrunner, Donald Trump, from winning the nomination because of his divisive proposals, including a plan to deport 11 million undocumented migrants.
Cruz has run in second place behind Trump and could conceivably win enough Republican delegates to take the nomination.Cruz has run in second place behind Trump and could conceivably win enough Republican delegates to take the nomination.
Ohio governor John Kasich’s lone path to the nomination is to extend the nomination race until the party’s national convention in July. The idea is to deny Trump the required 1,237 delegates needed and force party leaders to consider someone else. The lone path of the Ohio governor, John Kasich, to the nomination is to extend the race until the party’s national convention in July. The idea is to deny Trump the required 1,237 delegates needed and force party leaders to consider someone else.
A source close to Bush said he picked Cruz because he has the most viable path to the nomination and has shown that he can win states. The source said Bush considers a push for a contested convention to be a “hail-Mary strategy at best”. A source close to Bush said he picked Cruz because he had the most viable path to the nomination and had shown that he could win states. The source said Bush considered a push for a contested convention to be a “hail-Mary strategy at best”.
In the weeks after he withdrew, Bush met in Miami with former rivals Cruz, Kasich and US senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Rubio dropped out of the race after losing in Florida last week. Bush spoke by phone to Cruz on Monday. In the weeks after he withdrew, Bush met former rivals Cruz, Kasich and the US senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Rubio dropped out of the race after losing in Florida last week. Bush spoke by phone to Cruz on Monday.
In his statement, Bush resumed his sharp criticism of Trump, saying Republican voters must move to overcome “the divisiveness and vulgarity” that Trump had brought into the political arena “or we will certainly lose our chance to defeat the Democratic nominee and reverse President Obama’s failed policies.“ In his statement, Bush said Republican voters must move to overcome “the divisiveness and vulgarity” that Trump had brought into the political arena “or we will certainly lose our chance to defeat the Democratic nominee and reverse President Obama’s failed policies”.
“To win, Republicans need to make this election about proposing solutions to the many challenges we face, and I believe that we should vote for Ted as he will do just that,” Bush said. “To win, Republicans need to make this election about proposing solutions to the many challenges we face, and I believe that we should vote for Ted as he will do just that.”
In a statement, Cruz said Bush’s endorsement “is further evidence that Republicans are continuing to unite behind our campaign to nominate a proven conservative” to defeat Democratic favourite Hillary Clinton in the election on 8 November. In a statement, Cruz said Bush’s endorsement “is further evidence that Republicans are continuing to unite behind our campaign to nominate a proven conservative” to defeat the Democratic nominee in the election on 8 November. The current Democrat frontrunner is Hillary Clinton.