--- title: 2016 Election: Eric Cantor Endorses Jeb Bush for Republicans description: Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor endorsed Jeb Bush, spurning his rivals who were aggressively courting the former GOP number two. canonical: https://time.com/4014288/2016-election-eric-cantor-jeb-bush-republican-nomination/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-28T01:44:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:04:58.539Z article:section: Politics og:title: Former House Leader Eric Cantor Endorses Jeb Bush og:description: "America needs a President that can re-energize our nation." og:url: https://time.com/4014288/2016-election-eric-cantor-jeb-bush-republican-nomination/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltae116afb1b38d017/6988614b2dce014c709e5475/rtr3tarc.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: House Majority Leader Cantor leaves after a news conference og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Former House Leader Eric Cantor Endorses Jeb Bush twitter:description: "America needs a President that can re-energize our nation." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltae116afb1b38d017/6988614b2dce014c709e5475/rtr3tarc.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Former House Leader Eric Cantor Endorses Jeb Bush for Republican Nomination ## Video: Jeb Bush's "Anchor Baby" Explanation [Watch (HLS stream): Jeb Bush's "Anchor Baby" Explanation](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZnejuGCx.m3u8) (0:33)  _Published 2015-08-25. Jeb Bush struggled Monday to explain his position on birthright citizenship, suggesting that his use of the term "anchor babies" was directed not at Hispanics but rather at Asians._ by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Aug 28, 2015 1:44 AM UTC  U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) leaves after a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington June 11, 2014 U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) leaves after a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington June 11, 2014Yuri Gripas—Reuters by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Aug 28, 2015 1:44 AM UTC Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor [endorsed](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/eric-cantor-endorse-jeb-bush-virginia-co-chair-campaign-2016-121815.html) Jeb Bush Thursday, spurning several rivals who were aggressively courting the former GOP number two. Cantor, who left Congress last year after a shocking loss in a primary to conservative upstart David Brat, will become co-chair of Bush’s campaign in his home state Virginia, providing the former Florida governor access to his extensive donor base in the finance and Jewish communities. The endorsement is a blow to several of Bush’s rivals. According to a source close to Cantor, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were all striving to earn Cantor’s support. “They pursued him for months and months,” the source said. “He still has a whole lot of friends in Congress and other prominent folks across the country in the party and the finance and fundraising communities.” According to the source, Cantor weighed his options over the past several months and came to his decision to back Jeb “relatively recently.” In a statement, Cantor said, “Governor Bush is a true conservative leader with a long-term vision for this country and the practical know how to implement it. After eight years of anemic growth and declining international relevance, America needs a President that can re-energize our nation and recapture our greatness — Jeb Bush is that man. I look forward to working closely with the Governor and his team as they chart a course to the White House.” Cantor will appear with Bush at an event in Norfolk, Va., Friday. 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