Jeb Bush Endorses Chauncey Goss to Succeed Connie Mack in CD 19

Jeb Bush on Wednesday endorsed Chauncey Goss for the seat being vacated by Rep. Connie Mack in Floridas newly drawn 19th Congressional District.

In a statement, the former governor said, "Chauncey has a clear vision to restore this nation to greatness by encouraging opportunity and individual initiative -- replacing dependence on government programs with entrepreneurship, ingenuity, hard work, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Bush added about Goss:

He has worked with conservative leaders like Paul Ryan, Mitch Daniels and Marco Rubio to develop solutions that will make our countrys future stronger and more fiscally sound. Chauncey will represent Southwest Florida with integrity and will make a difference quickly in Washington, D.C.

Goss, son of former Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., said he was "humbled" by the endorsement.

"[Bush] is a leader in both the state and the nation and I look forward to learning from him as we continue to work on solutions to restore freedom and liberty by reducing federal spending and returning government to its proper size.

"His endorsement, combined with [House Budget] Chairman Paul Ryans earlier this week, is tremendously encouraging to me and demonstrates our campaign is on the right path to victory."

Goss is in a crowded and competitive GOP field that includes state Reps. Gary Aubuchon and Paige Kreegel, former radio host Trey Radel, businesssman Brian Owens and Byron Donalds.

Rockie Pennington, spokesman for the Owens campaign, congratulated Goss.

"It was a good endorsement to get," Pennington told Sunshine State News. "Jeb still represents the gold standard in GOP endorsements."

Others weren't so impressed. The libertarian-leaning Cato Institute pointed out that spending by President George W. Bush's administration -- where Goss was a senior budget official -- wasup 70 percent.

Goss, who was a senior budget official in the Bush administration, defended his record, asking: "Does Cato remember that small attack we had in September of 2001 or the small weather events called Charlie, Katrina, and Rita? Not sure I should be blamed for federal spending increases without some sort of context."

Meantime, Aubuchon, R-Coral Springs, endorsed Dane Eagle to succeed him in the Florida House.