Jeb Bush endorses Mitt Romney for president

Updated 12:49 p.m. ET

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney for president, giving the GOP front-runner another major establishment figure in his corner as he widens his lead for the nomination.

Bush, who resisted entreaties to run for the White House this year, is calling on the Republican Party to coalesce behind Romney after his strong win in the Illinois primary last night.

STORY:  Romney wins Illinois

Romney has nearly half the 1,144 delegates he needs to win the GOP nomination and holds a 300-delegate edge over Rick Santorum, his closest rival.

"Now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall," Bush said in a statement.

"We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed," he continued.

Bush, a popular two-term governor, commands respect within the Republican Party. He carries weight among Hispanic voters -- a key bloc in swing states such as Florida -- and has been outspoken about his party's need to change its rhetoric with Latinos.

Throughout the past year, Bush resisted calls to jump into the 2012 presidential race -- even recently as some conservatives sought a "white knight" because of dissatisfaction with the GOP field.

He joins his parents -- former president George H.W. Bush and ex-first lady Barbara Bush -- on the long list of Republican establishment figures who have either formally endorsed or said positive things about Romney's candidacy.

Romney tweeted that today is shaping up as a good day for him: It's his 43rd wedding anniversary, and he picked up Bush's support.

In a more serious statement, Romney said he's proud to have Bush on his team at a "key moment in the presidential contest."

"Jeb Bush is synonymous with good government and with conservative policies that yield results," Romney said.