In one of few times since leaving the White House, former President George W. Bush is stepping back into the political limelight. He is reportedly fundraising for some of the senators who are now vulnerable thanks in large part to the GOP's controversial presidential nominee.
"President Bush believes that it's critical to keep the Senate in Republican hands. He is actively helping some senators in tight races who are strong leaders and share timeless conservative values," Bush spokesman Freddy Ford told NBC News.
A few senators who will benefit from Bush's political return include Kelly Ayotte (R-SC), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ron Johnson (R-WI) and John McCain (R-AZ), who faces an especially frightening challenger in Ann Kirkpatrick. These Republican leaders - and many more - may have a difficult time defending Trump's rhetoric to their constituents. Kirkpatrick leads McCain in new polls and 44 percent of voters surveyed said they are less likely to vote for McCain because of his Trump endorsement. In this nervy context, McCain admitted that this race was the "race of his life."
As for the 43rd president, he has indicated he's no fan of Trump. Both he and his father opted to skip the 2016 RNC convention next month.
Can Bush help keep the Senate in Republican hands?
