Which Republican candidate does George W. Bush like least?
Former President George W. Bush really doesn't like one of his brother Jeb's rivals for the 2016 Republican nomination and he's not holding back about it.
According to a report in Politico, Bush slammed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz -- who served as a domestic policy adviser on the former president's 2000 campaign before morphing into the crusading conservative that upset an establishment candidate to win a Senate seat in 2012.
"I just don't like the guy," Bush said told donors at a Sunday evening fundraiser for his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, according to Politico.
Among Cruz's sins, in Bush's eyes: The fact that he is seeking to forge an alliance with Republican front-runner Donald Trump. The two hosted a rally to oppose the nuclear deal with Iran earlier this year, a fact that Bush reportedly called "opportunistic" and indicative that he was sucking up to Trump to pick up his support later.
Another donor said Bush believes Cruz's political career is motivated by personal gain instead of public service, and he's "frustrated to have watched Cruz basically hijack the Republican Party of Texas and the Republican Party in Washington."
Bush spokesman Freddy Ford told Politico that Bush doesn't view Cruz as Bush's "most serious rival."
"The first words out of President Bush's mouth last night were that Jeb is going to earn the nomination, win the election, and be a great president," Ford said.
And the Cruz campaign declined to fire back.
"I have great respect for George W. Bush, and was proud to work on his 2000 campaign and in his administration," the Texas senator said in a statement provided to Politico. "It's no surprise that President Bush is supporting his brother and attacking the candidates he believes pose a threat to his campaign. I have no intention of reciprocating. I met my wife Heidi working on his campaign, and so I will always be grateful to him."