Why would Bush do this to the Republican party?
Former President George W. Bush has chosen to stay silent about his voting preferences for the 2024 election, refusing to publicly endorse any candidate. When queried by NBC News about whether he or former First Lady Laura Bush would support a candidate, a representative from Bush’s office firmly stated, “President Bush retired from presidential politics years ago.”
This decision to withhold an endorsement comes on the heels of a notable political development: former Vice President Dick Cheney has announced his support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, breaking ranks with his own party. Cheney’s statement denounced former President Donald Trump, calling him a “grave threat to our republic” and accusing him of attempting to undermine the last election through deceit and violence. In response, Trump dismissed Cheney as a “irrelevant RINO” in a post on Truth Social.
Kamala Harris expressed gratitude for Cheney’s endorsement, suggesting it highlights shared values and a mutual dedication to the country. However, the Harris campaign did not provide an immediate response to Bush’s decision to remain neutral.
Historically, Bush has not shied away from making endorsements. In the past, he supported Senator John McCain in 2008 and Senator Mitt Romney in 2012. However, his approach shifted with the rise of Donald Trump. During the 2016 election, Bush refrained from commenting on Trump and instead focused on supporting Republican Senate candidates. In the 2016 election, both Bush and Laura Bush chose not to vote for either major party candidate.
After Trump’s 2020 defeat, Bush revealed that he had written in former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as his choice. This pattern of cautious engagement in presidential politics underscores Bush’s current stance of neutrality as the 2024 election approaches.