Jeb Bush won’t endorse before the Florida primary

COLUMBIA, S.C.--As the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination shifts to Florida, a big question is whether Jeb Bush will endorse a candidate before the state's Republican primary on Jan. 31. (Update: Bush told Bloomberg News he will remain neutral.)

Bush, who was begged by many key Republicans to mount his own bid for the White House, has not given any public indication that he'll formally back a candidate in the race, but his family is personally close to Mitt Romney. Former President George H.W. Bush offered an informal endorsement of Romney in December, calling him the "best choice" in the race.

CNN's John King reported tonight that Jeb Bush would endorse Romney. But a top Romney aide disputed that report. "I don't think so," the Romney strategist Stuart Stevens told Yahoo News. "I don't think that's true."

Bush endorsed John McCain during the 2008 GOP primary—but he waited until after Florida's primary to do so. It appears he'll do the same in 2012.

In his interview with Bloomberg, Bush had kind words for Romney--calling his business record "a wonderful story." But he stopped short of offering his official backing.

He bemoaned the "circular firing squad" of negative campaigning that has defined the race in recent weeks, warning that the party risks alienating general election voters.

"Candidates are making lasting impressions on voters, not just primary voters, in how they campaign," Bush told Bloomberg's Mark Silva. "You have to remember that in a state like Florida, independent voters will decide the election. You have to maintain your principles but have a broader appeal."

Read more coverage of the 2012 South Carolina primary at Yahoo News.

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