With Bush Out, Jacksonville Mayor Endorses Rubio

With former Gov. Jeb Bush out of the presidential race, Northeast Florida Republicans who backed him are choosing new candidates to support.

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By Tia Mitchell

With former Gov. Jeb Bush out of the presidential race, Northeast Florida Republicans who backed him are choosing new candidates to support.

Jacksonville-based lobbyist Marty Fiorentino remained loyal to Bush until the very end, even after Bush underperformed in primaries and slipped in the polls. Fiorentino said Sunday that he would now back Florida's U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry also endorsed Rubio on Sunday.

Bush, who dropped out Saturday after losing the South Carolina primary, had endorsed Curry's mayoral run, but Curry resisted calls to endorse his bid to become president and remained neutral for the early primaries. In a statement Sunday, Curry said Rubio was the best candidate to unite Republican voters in 2016.

"For conservatives this election represents an opportunity to lead a new generation of Americans into a prosperous future," Curry said. "To do so requires a president who is aspirational, accomplished, and able to unite Americans to a shared vision of less government with more freedom to see dreams become reality."

Many of Northeast Florida's most notable Republican donors backed Bush, including Tom Petway, John Baker, Ed Burr and John Rood. Although much of that support will shift to Rubio, he isn't the only candidate hoping to benefit from Bush's departure from the race.

Susie Wiles, a longtime Jacksonville political strategist and state co-chairman of part-time Floridian Donald Trump's campaign, said Trump and his family will start spending more time campaigning around the state. Even though she expects Bush to endorse Rubio, she isn't sure that will affect most voters' decision-making.

"I trust the voters to make up their own minds," Wiles said.

Wes Priest, president of the Flagler County Republican Club, said unless Bush endorses Rubio, his supporters are likely to split among several camps, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump.

"A lot of people want to go with who they think is going to win, and right now that looks like Trump," Priest said.

Trump's campaign has been polarizing and controversial, but he is leading in the polls and winning primaries. It is the Trump phenomenon that has been attributed to Bush's decision to drop out of the race and allow support to galvanize around Rubio.

"I think he did the right thing not only for himself but also for the country," said state Rep. Jeanette Nunez, R-Miami, a longtime Rubio supporter. "I think a lot of donors, a lot of voters and a lot of elected officials are excited to get on board with Marco Rubio, the only one who can challenge Donald Trump for the presidency."

Incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran served as Rubio's chief of staff when he was speaker but endorsed Bush. Corcoran said Sunday that he was heartbroken his chosen candidate was now out of the running.

"I know for a fact that had Jeb Bush won the presidency and governed the way that he governs, he absolutely would have turned this country around again," Corcoran said Sunday.

He and a large group of other Florida politicians are planning to jointly announce a new candidate soon, but Corcoran declined to say who it would be.

(c)2016 The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Fla.)

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Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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