How Trump Endorsed Bost
Then-President Donald Trump stands behind Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) at a campaign event in southern Illinois in 2018.
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
While former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) seemed to come out of nowhere after months of angling by both Bost and his opponent, former Sen. Darren Bailey.
Trump announced his endorsement in a post on his social media site Tuesday.
We’re told two members of Congress in Trump’s orbit, Congressman Ronny Jackson of Texas and Congressman Max Miller of Ohio each personally asked Trump to endorse Bost. Jackson was Trump’s personal physician, while Miller worked in the office of presidential personnel and served as a special assistant to Trump while in the White House.
Both Jackson and Miller campaigned for Bost in recent weeks.
Last week, both Congressman Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee and House Speaker Mike Johnson met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and, we’re told, asked Trump to endorse Bost in their meeting.
The endorsement came down the line Tuesday.
We’re told the endorsement is likely to be reflected in television ads as early as Thursday, though Bost will continue to focus on border issues, per our sources.