After a bruising Republican presidential primary in which Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush bitterly sniped at each other, the Florida politicians have apparently made up — as evidenced by the former governor's endorsement Thursday of the senator's re-election bid.
Bush, who quit the 2016 race in February, said on Twitter:
Rubio responded:
Rubio said Wednesday that he had "changed his mind" and would run again for his seat, which Republican Party officials fear might flip to Democrats.
The first-term senator said after leaving the primary race in March that he would become a private citizen when his term finishes at the end of the year.
But Bush and Rubio relentlessly attacked each other during the primary. They are longtime friends, with Rubio considering the former governor a mentor.
Their vitriol was most apparent in the Oct. 28 main-stage debate in Boulder, Colo. Bush slammed Rubio early on for missing nearly 100 congressional votes because of campaigning.
"When you signed up for this, this is a six-year term," Bush charged. "Just resign and let somebody else take the job.
"There are a lot of people who are living paycheck-to-paycheck in Florida," he said.
Rubio shot back: "Over the last few weeks, I listened to Jeb. He said you're modeling your campaign after John McCain, and will launch a serious comeback like he did by fighting hard in places like New Hampshire.
"You know how many votes John McCain missed?" the senator asked, referring to the eventual 2008 presidential candidate. "Jeb, let me tell you, I don't remember you ever complaining about John McCain's vote record.
"The only reason you're doing it now is because we're running for the same position," Rubio said. "Someone convinced you attacking me is going to help you."
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