Former Football Star Brady Quinn Endorses Jeb Bush

Bush scores a hometown endorsement before the GOP debate in Cleveland Thursday.

ByABC News
August 6, 2015, 11:24 AM

— -- Ahead of the first Republican debate tonight in Cleveland, Republican candidate Jeb Bush scored a hometown endorsement: NFL quarterback Brady Quinn, known for his time with the Cleveland Browns.

"I want a President who focuses on fixing the problems not creating them,” Quinn said in a statement. “I had the pleasure of living in Florida and experiencing first hand the successful work of Governor Jeb Bush. I believe Gov Bush is the leader who can provide the next generation with the best chance to succeed.”

This week Quinn will travel to Chicago to attend a campaign event for Bush with youngest son, Jeb Jr. in Chicago on Friday. They'll be attending an Mission: NEXT, an event specifically targeting national Jeb 2016 supporters under 40 years old in fundraising, political and leadership roles with the Jeb 2016 campaign efforts.

It's all part of a broader strategy by the Bush campaign aimed at attracting young voters.

Just this week, the Jeb Swag Store launched, featuring millennial-age models donning rumpled tees and snapbacks.

And earlier this year, a new pro-Jeb Super Pac launched, Millenials Rising, whose mission states, "We are a group of Millennials advocating for economic opportunity and limited government. ... We believe proven leadership on the key issues of job creation, economic growth, and reducing the size/scope of government is absolutely necessary for our next president. That is why we stand with Governor Bush. Join us in building a national grassroots coalition of Millennials in support of Governor Bush."

The junior Bush, 31-years-old, has proven a helpful emissary to these young voters. He's headlined almost a dozen events on his own and, according to Politico, has brought in close to $500,000 in fundraising from young professionals.

His story works on two fronts: He is a Millennial and, as a Hispanic-American, also caters to that sough-after voting bloc. In a recent interview in Spanish with Telemundo, Bush invoked his children while speaking of discrimination his older son faced as a child because of his race and ethnic heritage.