Cain on the stump - for other candidates

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Georgia businessman Herman Cain, who suspended his Republican presidential bid, has begun campaigning on behalf of several GOP congressional candidates.

Cain this week is stumping for U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra -- trying to unseat incumbent Debbie Stabenow of Michigan -- and attending a jobs-focused event with Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka "Joe the Plumber" from the 2008 elections, who is running for a U.S. House seat in northern Ohio, Politico said.

Cain suspended his bid to be the GOP presidential nominee in December after being dogged by allegations of sexual improprieties.

"My sense is that he really wants to continue his message. Despite the fact that he's no longer in the presidential race, he really wants to continue talking about issues," Florida Republican Craig Miller, whose Senate candidacy Cain endorsed, told Politico. "He's trying to influence the debate."

Miller said Cain was endorsing candidates "who are like-minded and who have a similar philosophy."

Politico said the candidates Cain supports embrace Cain's so-called "9-9-9" tax plan -- which would levy a 9 percent tax on business transactions, 9 percent on income and new 9 percent federal sales tax on consumer purchases -- and make tax code reform a keystone of their campaigns.