Jeb Bush held a short phone call Wednesday afternoon to thank his supporters, including key financial backers, several participants said.
“He said exactly what I expected him to say — a very sincere, heartfelt thank you,” CNN political commentator and Bush supporter Ana Navarro said on CNN’s “The Lead.”
The former Florida governor, who quit the race after a fouth-place finish in South Carolina on Saturday, told those on the call that “it was time to get out” because he wasn’t getting the results he expected in early voting states, said a different participant, who requested anonymity because the call was private. This participant said Bush did not talk about whether he might endorse in the future.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told reporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday that he had spoken the day before with Bush and that they had “a nice conversation.” Rubio said he did not ask for an endorsement.
“We’re gonna get together soon,” the senator said.
As for his future, Bush told those on the call that he intends to stay active, according to one of the participants. Before he ran for president, he was involved in education reform efforts.
“What he did say was that he hoped to make a difference now in the private sector and that he hopes a conservative gets elected to the presidency of the United States,” Navarro said.