Jeb Bush, the popular former Governor of Florida and brother of President George W. Bush, announced Wednesday that he has endorsed Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney.
“I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party’s nomination,” Bush said in a statement, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.”
Long rumored to have presidential ambitions of his own, Bush had stayed on the sidelines this election despite frequent overtures from GOP presidential hopefuls, particularly before the Florida primary.
The endorsement, coming on the heels of Romney’s big win in Illinois on Tuesday, is a big boon for the former Massachusetts Gov. as he attempts to wrap up the Republican nomination before summer.