After months of speculation about whether John McCain would endorse fellow Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the Arizona senator announced that he is throwing his support to his former rival.

The announcement came May 8 after the two former opponents met in Pittsburgh, Penn. McCain told the press corps, “I enthusiastically support Bush, and I look forward to campaigning for him.”

McCain ran a strong race against Bush during the primary season, winning New Hampshire, Arizona and Michigan.

However, he bowed out after a poor showing in the Super Tuesday contest.

James Hutter, associate professor of political science, said he viewed McCain’s endorsement of Bush as a unification of the Republican Party.

“I see most of McCain’s followers voting for Bush in the upcoming election,” he said.

However, McCain’s endorsement came with some caution. He admitted during their press conference that he and Bush are still not in agreement over some issues, including campaign-finance reform.

McCain also ended speculation about joining Bush on the ticket, saying he would not accept the vice presidency if it was to be offered.

Hutter said he does not envision McCain being appointed to any cabinet position should Bush win the November election.

“McCain and Bush are not friends and do not work well together; I do not see Bush appointing McCain to a cabinet post,” he said.

However, even if McCain will not hold a lofty position in a possible Bush administration, Hutter said McCain’s endorsement was still crucial.

“If McCain had not endorsed Bush, it would have done a lot of damage against the Republican Party, possibly steering votes away toward the Democrats,” he said.

Jason Darrah, 1999-2000 president of Iowa State’s College Republicans, said he believed the McCain campaign can make a difference in Bush’s campaign.

“The people [McCain] brought to the campaign and to politics can only help George W. Bush,” said Darrah, senior in political science.

Other ISU students agreed that the endorsement is purely partisan.

“I think McCain endorsed Bush simply because he is a Republican,” said Brian Hait, junior in marketing.

Hait said he thought McCain might pull more Independent votes toward Bush.

“I think that those independents that liked McCain will follow him over to Bush, even if they are not really crazy about Bush,” Hait said.

The McCain go-ahead does not necessarily mean increased Republican loyalty to Jessica Taylor, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication.

Taylor also said she doesn’t think it will attract independent voters, who heavily supported McCain in the earlier primaries. “I do not think that McCain will pull many independents with him,” she said.

Although Darrah said he doesn’t believe McCain will ever attempt another bid for the White House, Hutter said the endorsement could put McCain in good graces with the Republican Party’s establishment, helping him secure support for 2004.

“This shows that McCain is a team player; that can only help him should he decide to run again in 2004,” he said.