Former President George W. Bush donated $25,000 to his past staffer Ed Gillespie, who is campaigning for the Republican nomination in Virginia’s gubernatorial race.
Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, listed “retired” under the employer section of the form. The donation was disclosed in Gillespie’s latest campaign finance reports.
Bush donated $25,000 to Gillespie’s political action committee last year and was a special guest at a fundraiser held for Gillespie in Dallas, Texas in March.
Gillespie served as a communications adviser for Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign, and later as counselor to the president from 2007 to 2009. He is currently the front-runner in Virginia’s Republican gubernatorial primary race. He is running against state Sen. Frank Wagner and Corey Stewart, the chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
Bush donated the maximum allowed $2,700 to multiple Republicans in 2016, including Sens. John McCain, Ron Johnson and Joe Heck, as well as to his brother, Jeb Bush’s, own presidential campaign. Unlike federal races, Virginia has no contribution limits on individual donors.
The Virginia election is one of two scheduled gubernatorial elections this year, the other state being New Jersey.