Bush, mother visit popular restaurant in Spartanburg

Trailing in the polls with less than 24 hours before voting was scheduled to begin, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush did the only logical thing a candidate could do: He took mom to Wade’s.

Former first lady Barbara Bush and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham joined Jeb Bush during a campaign stop at the popular Spartanburg meat-and-three Friday morning, part of a last-minute effort to secure votes ahead of Saturday’s contest.

“When the going gets tough, we need a president with a steady hand, with a spine,” Jeb Bush said.

In his remarks, Bush wove in several thinly-veiled shots at billionaire Donald Trump, who currently leads most polls across South Carolina. Trump recently came under fire from some conservatives after claiming George W. Bush did not keep the country safe because the Sept. 11 terror attacks happened during his presidency.

“Yes, Mr. Trump, (George W. Bush) did keep us safe after 9/11,” Bush said. “You’re dead wrong.”

Graham defended Bush against the rest of the GOP field, calling Trump unelectable, mean and offensive. He said the other candidates, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, don’t have the record Bush has.

“You better nominate someone that can win,” Graham told the crowd. “Of all the people running, it’s clear to me (Bush) was the most qualified.”

Spartanburg native Margaret Suits said she has been a Bush supporter for months. Saturday, she plans to take that support to the ballot box.

“All the way. (I’m voting for Bush) all the way,” she said. “He is supremely qualified to lead our nation.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 8:51 PM with the headline "Bush, mother visit popular restaurant in Spartanburg."