Former President George W. Bush speaks throughout the Wrestle for Freedom Convention at George W. Bush Presidential Middle on November 16, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. T
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Former President George W. Bush doesn’t plan to endorse a candidate for president, his workplace instructed NBC Information on Saturday.
When requested whether or not the previous president or his spouse, Laura, would endorse a candidate or make public how they’ll vote, Bush’s workplace stated “no.”
“President Bush retired from presidential politics years in the past,” the workplace added.
The Trump marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris’ marketing campaign declined to remark however pointed to the marketing campaign’s Republican outreach efforts.
Bush’s former vice chairman, Dick Cheney, introduced on Friday that he would again Harris within the November election.
“In our nation’s 248-year historical past, there has by no means been a person who’s a better menace to our republic than Donald Trump,” Cheney stated in a press release. “He tried to steal the final election utilizing lies and violence to maintain himself in energy after the voters had rejected him. He can by no means be trusted with energy once more.”
Days earlier, the previous vice chairman’s daughter, former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, stated that she would solid her poll for Harris. Each Cheneys, who’re Republicans, have been essential of former President Donald Trump, and the youthful Cheney has been particularly outspoken.
Responding to reporters’ questions on Saturday, Harris stated that she was “honored” to have the Cheneys’ endorsements, including that it “actually reinforces for them that we love our nation, and now we have extra in frequent than what separates.”
The truth that Bush will not be endorsing his get together’s nominee is itself notable. In 2012, Bush stated he was backing Republican candidate Mitt Romney towards former President Barack Obama. 4 years earlier, Bush endorsed the now-late Sen. John McCain for president in 2008.
Each former Bush presidents’ groups stated in 2016 that the daddy and son would keep away from commenting on Trump. As an alternative, the youthful Bush labored to assist Republican senators. Neither Bush nor his spouse voted for both main get together presidential nominee in 2016, a spokesperson stated that 12 months.
The elder Bush president died in 2018, however the youthful stated in 2021 that he wrote in former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for president in 2020.
A number of distinguished reasonable Republicans and former Trump administration officers have damaged with the previous president and backed Harris, regardless of having coverage variations.
The Harris marketing campaign final month unveiled greater than two dozen endorsements from Republicans, together with former Republican Gov. Invoice Weld of Massachusetts; former Rep. Denver Riggleman of Virginia; and former Trump administration press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Later in August, greater than 200 former staffers for each Bush presidents, McCain and Romney signed a letter endorsing Harris for president.
As a part of the marketing campaign’s outreach to GOP voters, the Harris marketing campaign employed a nationwide Republican engagement director to give attention to impartial and reasonable Republican voters, in addition to a Republicans for Harris program.
— NBC Information’ Nnamdi Egwuonwu, Sarah Dean, Tara Prindiville and Monica Alba contributed to this report.
