In fact, the “team-building” was already underway. Bush’s departure from the race Saturday night set in motion a concerted — and urgent — effort within GOP establishment circles to decisively consolidate support behind Rubio, and finally elevate a consensus standard-bearer for mainstream Republicans. Even as votes were still being tallied in South Carolina, Rubio’s lieutenants were moving swiftly to lock down Jeb’s high-dollar donors, and party elites were quietly leaning on high-profile officeholders in the GOP to get on board with Marco-mentum.
In the coming week, the campaign plans to start rolling out a parade of new endorsements as Republican leaders make a show of coalescing around the fresh-faced Florida senator.
The backstage maneuvering to boost Rubio was described to BuzzFeed News by half a dozen GOP sources — some with official ties to the candidate, others without — who requested anonymity to discuss internal strategy.
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