Ahead of debate, Trump endorsed by some
Bush alumni
Send a link to a friend
[September 26, 2016]
By Steve Holland
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dozens of former
appointees of the administration of former President George W. Bush
announced their support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump
on Sunday in a bid for party unity ahead of Trump's first debate with
Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The Bush family and many connected to it remain cool to Trump. Former
President George H.W. Bush reportedly plans to vote for Clinton in the
Nov. 8 election, former Trump rival Jeb Bush has said he will not vote
for Clinton or Trump, and George W. Bush has avoided the presidential
race while helping raise money for Republican congressional candidates.
But a number of former Bush appointees have decided to endorse the New
York businessman, who is in a tight race with Clinton and is to debate
her one-one-one at Hofstra University on Monday night in Hempstead, New
York.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Sep/26/images/ads/current/culligan_sda_daily_FESTIVALS_2016.png)
Fifty former Bush appointees were on a list of people described as
founding members of a coalition of Bush alumni supportive of Trump. The
list was provided by a Republican official close to the Trump campaign.
The list included former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer,
former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, former Labor Secretary
Elaine Chao, former Treasury Secretary John Snow and former Health and
Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.
The list also included former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former
Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi and former deputy White
House political director Matt Schlapp, who is chairman of the American
Conservative Union.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/092616pics/news_u37.jpg)
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a rally with
supporters in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. September 24, 2016.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_090916.png)
Thompson, in a statement, explained his decision to be on the list.
"Americans want to trust our leaders again, to know that they are
fighting for everyday Americans by creating jobs, growing our
economy, defending our nation from terrorism, and respecting the
voters enough to be straight-forward and honest with them," Thompson
said.
Trump has struggled to rally many in the Republican Party behind
him. On Friday, he received the endorsement of former rival Ted
Cruz, but many establishment figures remain skeptical about him,
such as Ohio Governor John Kasich.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Robert Birsel)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Sep/26/images/ads/current/Bonanza_sda_072214.png) |