Jeb Bush Endorses Thom Tillis to Challenge Kay Hagan

Former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., endorsed North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis as he seeks the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C.

Thom Tillis is a proven conservative leader with an impressive track record of results for North Carolina businesses and families, said Bush on Thursday. His work on key issues like improving education, keeping taxes low and eliminating burdensome regulations is a testament to his leadership as North Carolinas House speaker. It is critically important that Republicans win a majority in the U.S. Senate, and I am confident that the road to a majority runs through Thom Tillis in North Carolina.

I am honored to have the support of Gov. Bush, who I have respected and admired for several years, said Tillis. His record in Florida speaks for itself and he is one of the most respected leaders we have in this nation. I look forward to working with him during the course of the campaign as we continue to expand our network of conservatives who want to take back the U.S. Senate.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) quickly fired back.

Thom Tillis is a prime example of the extreme GOP candidates who are completely out of touch with the issues the American people care about. Jeb Bush may try to paint himself as a voice of reason in the Republican Party, but todays endorsement makes clear that hes part of the problem, said Michael Czin, a spokesman for the DNC.

In supporting Thom Tillis, Jeb Bush is throwing his support behind just another Koch-backed candidate who opposes the existence of a minimum wage, would block health options for women, and even wants to eliminate the Department of Education," Czin added. Those policies may please the Bush-Koch crowd, but they hurt working Americans.

With Republicans looking to flip the Senate from Democrats in November, the GOP has high hopes for defeating Hagan.