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National Endorsements—Republicans...to Jan. 13, 2016 only

Endorsements by federal and statewide elected officials help provide credibility to a candidacy. This page shows endorsements in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. Candidates often start with endorsements from officials in their home states. Endorsements are not always clear cut.1

In 2011-12, Democracy in Action found that 111 of 238 Republican U.S. House members, 20 of 47 Republican U.S. Senators, and 16 of 30 Republican governors (incl. Puerto Rico) made endorsements during the Republicans' competitive primary season (2011 through April 10, 2012),
Related: Endorsements by National Organizations

If you see anyone missing, please email action08 at gmail / contact

updated January 13, 2016

NATIONAL | IOWA | NEW HAMPSHIRE | SOUTH CAROLINA | NEVADA

Endorsements help provide credibility to a candidacy. What matters is not the number of endorsers, although that can be a good indicator of a candidate's strength, but the influence the endorser has and how much, if any, effort he or she puts into supporting the candidate.

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alpha by state - column 1 is governors, Senators and Congressmen; column 2 is other statewide elected officials

BUSH
Sen. Susan Collins (ME) Sen. Thad Cochran (MS) Sen. Dean Heller (NV) Sen. Orrin Hatch (UT) Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-3) Rep. Jeff Denham (CA-10) Rep. David Valadao (CA-21) Rep. Mimi Walters (CA-45) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-16) Rep. Ander Crenshaw (FL-4) Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-25) Rep. David Jolly (FL-13) Rep. John Mica (FL-7) Rep. Jeff Miller (FL-1) Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15) Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-10) Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) Rep. Luke Messer (IN-6) Rep. Mike Bishop (MI-8) Rep. David Trott (MI-11) Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-2) Rep. Mark Amodei (NV-2) Rep. Chris Collins (NY-27) Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23) Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC-10) Rep. Kay Granger (TX-12) Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-32)	07/01/15 12/08/15 08/12/15 08/12/15 09/17/15 08/20/15 10/07/15 09/16/15 06/12/15 " " " " " " " " " " 02/17/15 ? 11/23/15 08/19/15 ? 06/16/15 06/23/15 07/28/15 08/21/15 10/23/15 06/25/15	> + > > > > > tw > > > > > > >	4 26	Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (AL) Treasurer Walker Stapleton (CO) Attorney General Pam Bondi (FL) Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam (FL) Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater (FL) Lt. Gov. Casey Cagel (GA) Attorney General Sam Olens (GA) Attorney General Bill Schuette (MI) Attorney General Scott Pruitt (OK)	10/05/15 09/08/15 06/12/15 " " 08/07/15 " 08/19/15 09/29/15	+ + + +

Note: In response to a query from ed. the campaign on Oct. 15, 2015 provided a list of endorsements that included Reps. Luke Messer, Charles Boustany, and Kay Granger. Granger had agreed to endorse Bush, but had not made a public announcement; first public notice appears to be Oct. 23. Messer's endorsement was finally reported by The Hill on Nov. 13. Boustany has not publicly endorsed anyone as of Dec. 8. Rep. Ann Wagner was in the spin room for Bush at the Aug. 6, 2015 debate. Politico in a May 18, 2015 article, reported U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions "told the former Florida governor [Jeb Bush] he'd be backing him" in a conversation "a little over two months ago" (>). When asked by the Star Telegram a few days later, however, Sessions demurred. (>). Sessions name appeared as a member of the Texas Leadership Committee for a June 25, 2015 Jeb 2016 fundraising luncheon so I have taken that as the date (>). Mimi Walters via tweet.

CHRISTIE
Gov. Paul LePage (ME) Gov. Larry Hogan (MD) Rep. Susan Brooks (IN-5) Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7) Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2) Rep. Tom MacArthur (NJ-3) Rep. Pat Meehan (PA-7)	07/01/15 07/15/15 12/04/15 06/30/15 " " " 07/22/15	+ + + + + + + +	2 6	Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno (NJ)	06/30/15	+

Correction: Rep. Candice Miller was in the spin room for Christie on Aug. 6, 2015 but announced for Fiorina on Sept. 23.

CRUZ
Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-5) Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-4) Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA-45) Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10) Rep. Steve King (IA-4) Rep. Sam Graves (MO-6) Rep. Jim Bridenstine (OK-1) Rep. Alex Mooney (WV-2) Rep. Michael Burgess (TX-26) Rep. John Culberson (TX-7) Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-1) Rep. John Ratcliffe (TX-4) Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36) Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-3)	11/09/15 01/12/16 11/19/15 08/06/15 11/16/15 12/07/15 08/12/15 01/12/16 05/21/15 " " " 07/02/15 09/28/15 01/11/16	+ + + + + + + + + + + +	15	Treasurer Ron Crane (ID) Attorney General Adam P. Laxalt (NV) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (TX)	11/19/15 01/13/16 10/26/15	+ + +

FIORINA
Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-2) Rep. Candice Miller (MI-10) Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)	09/21/15 09/23/15 10/08/15	+ > +	3	Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann (IN) Secretary of State Chris Benge (OK) Auditor John Dougall (UT)	06/29/15 12/16/15 12/10/15	+ + +

GRAHAM [to 12/21/15]
Sen. John McCain (AZ)	01/29/15	>

HUCKABEE
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (AR) Sen. John Boozman (AR) Sen. Mike Rounds (SD) Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-1) Rep. French Hill (AR-2) Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-4) Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3)	09/28/15 05/05/15 09/01/15 09/28/15 " " 09/28/15	+ + + +	1 2 4	Secretary of State John Merrill (AL) Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin (AR) Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (AR) Secretary of State Mark Martin (AR) Treasurer Dennis Milligan (AR) Land Commissioner John Thurston (AR)	11/05/15 05/07/15 09/28/15 " " "	+ +

KASICH
Gov. Robert Bentley (AL) Sen. Rob Portman (OH) Rep. Gregg Harper (MS-3) Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-6) Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12) Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10) Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15)	08/17/15 01/09/16 09/02/15 10/27/15 07/06/15 07/07/15 07/06/15	+ + + + > + >	1 1 5	Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor (OH) Attorney General Mike DeWine (OH) Secretary of State John Husted (OH) Auditor David Yost (OH)	09/02/15	+

PAUL
Sen. Maj. Leader Mitch McConnell Rep. Raúl Labrador (ID-1) Rep. Thomas Massie (KY-4) Rep. Justin Amash (MI-3) Rep. Walter Jones (NC-3) Rep. Mick Mulvaney (SC-5) Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY-AL)	11/06/14 05/27/15 05/30/15 05/04/15 04/10/15 09/21/15 07/16/15	> + + + + +	1 6

PERRY [to 09/11/15]
Rep. Joe Barton (TX-6)	07/17/15	+

RUBIO
Sen. Cory Gardner (CO) Sen. Jim Risch (ID) Sen. Steve Daines (MT) Sen. Jim Inhofe (OK) Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-1) Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-49) Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-6) Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-17) Rep. Austin Scott (GA-8) Rep. Darin LaHood (IL-18) Rep. Todd Rokita (IN-4) Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-8) Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-4) Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-2) Rep. John Moolenear (MI-4) Rep. Jason T. Smith (MO-8) Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-2) Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-4) Rep. Kristi Noem (SD-AL) Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-1) Rep. Chris Stewart (UT-2) Rep. Marco Rubio (UT-3) Rep. Mia Love (UT-4) Rep. Scott Rigell (VA-2) Rep. Barbara Comstock (VA-10) Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-3) Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-7)	11/02/15 11/04/15 11/03/15 01/09/16 11/18/15 11/30/15 12/18/15 06/20/15 09/21/15 10/14/15 10/05/15 12/09/15 11/06/15 12/01/15 09/24/15 10/22/15 11/20/15 12/29/15 11/06/15 12/22/15 09/27/15 01/08/16 11/19/15 12/11/15 12/16/15 11/13/15 10/21/15	+ + > > > > > > > > > > + > > + + > > > + + > > + >	4 23	Attorney General Mark Brnovich (AZ) Controller Brandon Woolf (ID) Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison (NV) Treasurer Josh Mandel (OH) Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox (UT)	09/29/15 09/30/15 05/06/15 05/13/15 10/18/15	> > > > >

SANTORUM
Rep. Lou Barletta (PA-11)	06/02/15	+

WALKER [to 09/21/15]
Rep. Doug Collins (GA-8) Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-7) to RUBIO	08/07/15 04/11/15	+ >		Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (WI)	07/13/15

_____________

Republican Governors (31)*

Robert Bentley (AL) KASICH

Doug Ducey (AZ)

Asa Hutchinson (AR) HUCKABEE

Rick Scott (FL)

Nathan Deal (GA)

Butch Otter (ID)

Bruce Rauner (IL)

Mike Pence (IN)

Terry Branstad (IA)

Sam Brownback (KS)

Bobby Jindal (LA)

Paul LePage (ME) CHRISTIE

Larry Hogan (MD) CHRISTIE

Charlie Baker (MA)

Rick Snyder (MI)

Phil Bryant (MS)

Pete Ricketts (NE)

Brian Sandoval (NV)

Chris Christie (NJ)

Susana Martinez (NM)

Pat McCrory (NC)

Jack Dalrymple (ND)

John Kasich (OH)

Mary Fallin (OK)

Nikki Haley (SC)

Dennis Daugaard (SD)

Bill Haslam (TN)

Greg Abbott (TX)

Gary Herbert (UT)

Scott Walker (WI)

Matt Mead (WY)

*Initially 4 and now 3
of the 31 are running;
Jindal has dropped out

Republican U.S. Senators (54)*

Jeff Sessions (AL)
Richard Shelby (AL)

Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Dan Sullivan (AK)

Jeff Flake (AZ)
John McCain (AZ) GRAHAM

John Boozman (AR) HUCKABEE
Tom Cotton (AR)

Cory Gardner (CO) RUBIO

Marco Rubio (FL)

David Perdue (GA)
Johnny Isakson (GA)

Mike Crapo (ID)
James Risch (ID) RUBIO

Mark Kirk (IL)

Dan Coats (IN)

Joni Ernst (IA)
Chuck Grassley (IA)

Jerry Moran (KS)
Pat Roberts (KS)

Mitch McConnell (KY) PAUL
Rand Paul (KY)

Bill Cassidy (LA)
David Vitter (LA)

Scott Brown (MA)

Susan Collins (ME) BUSH

Thad Cochran (MS) BUSH
Roger Wicker (MS)

Roy Blunt (MO)

Steve Daines (MT) RUBIO

Deb Fischer (NE)
Ben Sasse (NE)

Dean Heller (NV) BUSH

Kelly Ayotte (NH)

Richard Burr (NC)
Thom Tillis (NC)

John Hoeven (ND)

Rob Portman (OH) KASICH

James Inhofe (OK) RUBIO
James Lankford (OK)

Pat Toomey (PA)

Lindsey Graham (SC)
Tim Scott (SC)

John Thune (SD)
Mike Rounds (SD) HUCKABEE

Lamar Alexander (TN)
Bob Corker (TN)

John Cornyn (TX)
Ted Cruz (TX)

Orrin Hatch (UT) BUSH
Mike Lee (UT)

Shelley Moore Capito (WV)

Ron Johnson (WI)

John Barrasso (WY)
Mike Enzi (WY)

*initially 4 and now 3 of the 54
are running; Graham has
dropped out

Republican U.S. House Members (247)
As of January 12, 2016, our tally shows active endorsements by 88 Republican U.S. House Members (not including endorsements of Perry and Walker who have suspended their campaigns).

ALABAMA (6 of 7)
1. Bradley Byrne
2. Martha Roby
3. Mike Rogers BUSH
4. Robert Aderholt
5. Mo Brooks CRUZ
6. Gary Palmer

ALASKA (1 of 1)
AL. Don Young

ARIZONA (5 of 9)
2. Martha McSally
4. Paul Gosar CRUZ
5. Matt Salmon
6. David Schweikert
8. Trent Franks

ARKANSAS (4 of 4)
1. Rick Crawford HUCKABEE
2. French Hill HUCKABEE
3. Steve Womack
4. Bruce Westerman HUCKABEE

CALIFORNIA (14 of 53)
1. Doug LaMalfa RUBIO
4. Tom McClintock
8. Paul Cook
10. Jeff Denham BUSH
21. David Valadao BUSH
22. Devin Nunes
23. Kevin McCarthy
25. Steve Knight
39. Ed Royce
42. Ken Calvert
45. Mimi Walters BUSH
48. Dana Rohrabacher CRUZ
49. Darrell Issa RUBIO
50. Duncan Hunter

COLORADO (4 of 7)
3. Scott Tipton
4. Ken Buck
5. Doug Lamborn
6. Mike Coffman RUBIO

CONNECTICUT (0 of 5)

DELAWARE (0 of 1)

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (0 of 1)

FLORIDA (17 of 27)
1. Jeff Miller BUSH
3. Ted Yoho
4. Ander Crenshaw BUSH
6. Ron DeSantis
7. John Mica BUSH
8. Bill Posey
10. Daniel Webster BUSH
11. Rich Nugent
12. Gus Bilirakis BUSH
13. David Jolly BUSH
15. Dennis Ross BUSH
16. Vern Buchanan BUSH
17. Tom Rooney RUBIO
19. Curt Clawson
25. Mario Diaz-Balart BUSH
26. Carlos Curbelo BUSH
27. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen BUSH

GEORGIA (10 of 14)
1. Buddy Carter
3. Lynn A. Westmoreland
6. Tom Price
7. Robert Woodall
8. Austin Scott RUBIO
9. Doug Collins WALKER
10. Jody HIce CRUZ
11. Barry Loudermilk
12. Rick W. Allen
14. Tom Graves

HAWAII (0 of 2)

IDAHO (2 of 2)
1. Raúl Labrador PAUL
2. Mike Simpson

ILLINOIS (8 of 18)
6. Peter Roskam
10. Robert Dold
12. Mike Bost
13. Rodney Davis
14 Randy Hultgren
15. John Shimkus
16. Adam Kinzinger BUSH
17. Bobby Schilling
18. Darin LaHood RUBIO

INDIANA (7 of 9)
2. Jackie Walorski
3. Marlin Stutzman
4. Todd Rokita RUBIO
5. Susan Brooks CHRISTIE
6. Luke Messer BUSH
8. Larry Bucshon RUBIO
9. Todd Young

IOWA (3 of 4)
1. Rod Blum
3. Dave Young
4. Steve King CRUZ

KANSAS (4 of 4)
1. Tim Huelskamp
2. Lynn Jenkins FIORINA
3. Kevin Yoder
4. Mike Pompeo RUBIO

KENTUCKY (5 of 6)
1. Ed Whitfield
2. Brett Guthrie
4. Thomas Massie PAUL
5. Harold Rogers
6. Andy Barr

LOUISIANA (5 of 6)
1. Steve Scalise
3. Charles Boustany Jr. BUSH
4. John Fleming
5. Ralph Abraham
6. Garrett Graves

MAINE (1 of 2)
2. Bruce Poliquin

MARYLAND (1 of 8)
1. Andy Harris

MASSACHUSETTS (0 of 9)

MICHIGAN (9 of 14)
1. Dan Benishek
2. Bill Huizenga RUBIO
3. Justin Amash PAUL
4. John Moolenear RUBIO
6. Fred Upton
7. Tim Walberg
8. Mike Bishop
10. Candice Miller FIORINA
11. David Trott BUSH

MINNESOTA (3 of 8)
2. John Kline
3. Erik Paulsen
6. Tom Emmer

MISSISSIPPI (3 of 4)
1. Trent Kelly
3. Gregg Harper KASICH
4. Steven Palazzo

MISSOURI (6 of 8)
2. Ann Wagner BUSH
3. Blaine Luetkemeyer
4. Vicky Hartzler
6. Sam Graves CRUZ
7. Billy Long
8. Jason T. Smith RUBIO

MONTANA (1 of 1)
AL. Ryan Zinke

NEBRASKA (2 of 3)
1. Jeff Fortenberry FIORINA
3. Adrian Smith

NEVADA (3 of 4)
2. Mark Amodei BUSH
3. Joe Heck
4. Cresent Hardy

NEW HAMPSHIRE (1 of 2)
1. Frank Guinta

NEW JERSEY (6 of 12)
2. Frank LoBiondo CHRISTIE
3. Tom MacArthur CHRISTIE
4. Chris Smith
5. Scott Garrett
7. Leonard Lance CHRISTIE
11. Rodney Frelinghuysen CHRISTIE

NEW MEXICO (1 of 3)
2. Steve Pearce

NEW YORK (9 of 27)
1. Lee Zeldin
2. Pete King
11. Daniel Donovan
19. Chris Gibson
21. Elise Stefanik
22. Richard Hanna
23. Tom Reed BUSH
24. John Katko
27. Chris Collins BUSH

NORTH CAROLINA (10 of 13)
2. Renee Ellmers
3. Walter Jones PAUL
5. Virginia Foxx
6. Mark Walker
7. David Rouzer
8. Richard Hudson
9. Robert Pittenger
10 Patrick McHenry BUSH
11. Mark Meadows
13. George Holding

NORTH DAKOTA (1 of 1)
AL. Kevin Cramer

OHIO (12 of 16)
1. Steve Chabot
2. Brad Wenstrup
4. Jim Jordan
5. Robert Latta
6. Bill Johnson KASICH
7. Bob Gibbs
8. John Boehner
10. Mike Turner KASICH
12. Pat Tiberi KASICH
14. David Joyce
15. Steve Stivers KASICH
16. Jim Renacci

OKLAHOMA (5 of 5)
1. Jim Bridenstine CRUZ
2. Markwayne Mullin RUBIO
3. Frank Lucas
4. Tom Cole
5. Steve Russell

OREGON (1 of 5)
2. Greg Walden

PENNSYLVANIA (13 of 18)
3. Mike Kelly
4. Scott Perry
5. Glenn Thompson
6. Ryan Costello
7. Pat Meehan CHRISTIE
8. Mike Fitzpatrick
9. Bill Shuster
10. Tom Marino
11. Lou Barletta SANTORUM
12. Keith Rothfus
15. Charles Dent
16. Joe Pitts
18. Tim Murphy

PUERTO RICO (0 of 1)

RHODE ISLAND (0 of 2)

SOUTH CAROLINA (6 of 7)
1. Mark Sanford
2. Joe Wilson
3. Jeff Duncan
4. Trey Gowdy RUBIO
5. Mick Mulvaney PAUL
7. Tom Rice

SOUTH DAKOTA (1 of 1)
AL. Kristi Noem RUBIO

TENNESSEE (7 of 9)
1. Phil Roe
2. John Duncan, Jr.
3. Chuck Fleischmann HUCKABEE
4. Scot DesJarlais
6. Diane Black
7. Marsha Blackburn
8. Stephen Fincher

TEXAS (25 of 36)
1. Louie Gohmert CRUZ
2. Ted Poe
3. Sam Johnson CRUZ
4. John Ratcliffe CRUZ
5. Jeb. Hensarling
6. Joe Barton PERRY
7. John Culberson CRUZ
8. Kevin Brady
10. Michael McCaul
11. Michael Conaway
12. Kay Granger BUSH
13. Mac Thornberry
14. Randy Weber CRUZ
17. Bill Flores
19. Randy Neugebauer
21. Lamar Smith
22. Pete Olson
23. Will Hurd
24. Kenny Marchant
25. Roger Williams
26. Michael Burgess CRUZ
27. Blake Farenthold
31. John Carter
32. Pete Sessions BUSH
36. Brian Babin CRUZ

UTAH (4 of 4)
1. Rob Bishop RUBIO
2. Chris Stewart RUBIO
3. Jason Chaffetz RUBIO
4. Mia Love RUBIO

VERMONT (0 of 1)

VIRGINIA (8 of 11)
1. Robert Wittman
2. Scott Rigell RUBIO
4. Randy Forbes
5. Robert Hurt
6. Bob Goodlatte
7. Dave Brat
9. Morgan Griffith
10. Barbara Comstock RUBIO

WASHINGTON (4 of 10)
3. Jaime Herrera Beutler RUBIO
4. Dan Newhouse
5. Cathy McMorris Rodgers
8. David Reichert

WEST VIRGINIA (3 of 3)
1. David McKinley
2. Alex Mooney CRUZ
3. Evan Jenkins

WISCONSIN (5 of 8)
1. Paul Ryan
5. James Sensenbrenner
6. Glenn Grothman
7. Sean Duffy WALKER > RUBIO
8. Reid Ribble

WYOMING (1 of 1)
AL. Cythia Lummis PAUL

Notes.
When is an Endorsement an Endorsement?
For example, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) offered high praise of Huckabee while introducing him at his announcement. The Hope Star noted that Hutchinson "offered his encouragement but no formal endorsement." By Sept. 28 Hutchinson was included as an endorser. Candice Miller was in the spin room for Christie at the Aug. 6 debate but went for Fiorina on Sept. 23.

See also:
Aaron Bycoffe. "The Endorsement Primary." FiveThirtyEight.
"Race is on for 2016 Endorsements." The Hill, April 21, 2015.
Wikipedia. "Endorsements for the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016."
Alex Isenstadt. "2016 hopefuls look for love in a very wrong place." Politico, May 18, 2015.