MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Republican 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney will endorse US 2016 presidential hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush decided to suspend his campaign, local media reported on Sunday, quoting sources in the Republican Party.
Bush, once tipped as the frontrunner of the Republican Party contest for the US presidential nomination, admitted defeat and pulled out of the race after a fourth-place finish in the South Carolina primary on Saturday.
According to The Huffington Post, former Massachusetts Gov. Romney has been eager to provide public support to Rubio but his respect for Bush stalled the public endorsement.
Romney's support could be crucial for Rubio ahead of Tuesday's Republican caucuses in Nevada won by Romney in 2008 and 2012.
Republican frontrunner Donald Trump won the South Carolina primary with a 10-percent lead over Rubio. Trump received 32.4 percent of the votes, while Rubio and Ted Cruz received 22.4 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively. Bush won 7.9 percent of the vote.
The US presidential election is scheduled for November 8, 2016.
