2012

Huntsman's Big Endorsement: Jeb Bush Jr.

Benjy Sarlin | August 10, 2011, 9:17AM

Jeb Bush Jr.

Jon Huntsman is headed to Florida on Wednesday to accept an endorsement from Jeb Bush Jr. - son of the state's popular ex-governor Jeb Bush Sr. and a nephew of President George W. Bush.

Huntsman had teased the Florida visit as a "major announcement," sparking immediate speculation that Governor Bush, who has spoken highly of Huntsman in the past and is one of the party's most highly respected figures nationally, might declare his support. But the junior Bush is an established figure in the state as well and has helped lead efforts to bring Latino voters into the Republican fold.

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Call In The Cavalry!: Meet The GOP Dream Ballot

Jon Terbush | June 20, 2011, 5:45AM

Republican voters have sampled their party's presidential choices, but are still left wanting.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released last week found that less than half of GOP primary voters are "satisfied" with the Republican slate. And in a recent Pew study, when asked for their reaction to the current GOP field, Americans' top three responses to the were "unimpressed," "disappointed," and "weak."

It's no surprise then that some voters are hoping for a white knight to leap into the fold and shake things up. Several polls bear this out, as they've shown non-candidates like Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani running well or even topping the entire field.

So who are these dream candidates? And will any of them answer the call?

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Pres '12

Obama Trails Generic Moderate GOP Challenger In Polls, Wins Against Current Candidates

Jon Terbush | February 16, 2011, 12:59PM

President Barack Obama

None of the prominent Republicans believed to be considering presidential bids came out ahead of President Obama in a new PPP poll of registered voters nationwide. However, Obama did trail in one hypothetical match-up -- versus an unspecified moderate Republican challenger.

The results underscore just how weak the slate of GOP candidates is: only one Republican, Mike Huckabee, posted a net favorable rating in the poll, with 36% of respondents viewing him favorably, and 30% viewing him unfavorably. Over half of all registered voters had a negative opinion of Newt Gingrich (53%), Sarah Palin (56%), and Donald Trump (56%).

And when voters knew the other candidates well enough to form an opinion of them, they viewed them unfavorably more often than not. For example, almost one-third of respondents had no opinion of Ron Paul -- but among those who did, 45% had a negative opinion of him.

The results also show that, though Obama's approval rating has surged in recent weeks, he is in no way out of the woods as he gears up for a reelection bid. The PPP poll found that 49% of voters approve of his job performance, compared to 46% who disapprove.

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Senate '12

Poll: Bill Nelson Looking Vulnerable in 2012 Reelection Bid

Jon Terbush | February 15, 2011, 11:58AM

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R)

Former governor Jeb Bush (R) may have no intention of running for president, but if he decides to hop in the Senate race in Florida, he looks poised to knock off incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson (D), according to a new Mason-Dixon poll.

In the poll, the former Florida governor led Nelson by an eight-points margin, 49% to 41%. That lead is up slightly from the five-point gap shown in a survey of the race conducted in late December.

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Pres '12

Poll: Obama Holds Huge Lead On Jeb Bush in 2012 Matchup

Jon Terbush | February 14, 2011, 2:38PM

Republicans clamoring to draft Jeb Bush into the 2012 Republican presidential primary may want to rethink their efforts, as a Fox News poll shows Obama beating Bush in a hypothetical matchup -- and it isn't even close.

In the poll, Obama led Bush by a 20-point margin nationally, 54% to 34%. Back in September, the same Fox poll found Bush, former President George W. Bush's younger brother, trailing Obama by just eight points, 45% to 37%.

Bush's standing was so bad that it put him on par with Sarah Palin, who trailed Obama 56% to 35% in the same survey. Polls have consistently shown Palin running far behind Obama, so far, in fact, that she could flip some states to the Democratic column for the first time in 50 years if she emerges as the 2012 GOP nominee.

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2012 elections

Pawlenty Only 2012 GOPer At Hispanic Event Today

Eric Kleefeld | January 14, 2011, 9:37AM

Tim Pawlenty

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) now holds a unique status among the potential Republican presidential candidates -- he is the only one to have accepted an invitation to a Hispanic Republican conference, which is being held today.

Politico reports:

If Republicans want to make inroads in the Hispanic community, "first of all, show up," Pawlenty told POLITICO Thursday. "You've got to listen - earn their trust, earn their respect and earn their support."

None of his fellow contenders decided to take the same course. Organizers of the newly-formed Hispanic Leadership Network, which includes former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, extended invites to every potential Republican candidate, but only Pawlenty accepted.

[TPM Slideshow: Meet The 2012 GOPers: Ex Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)]

2012 elections

Poll: Jeb Bush Leads Bill Nelson In Hypothetical FL-SEN Race

Jon Terbush | December 21, 2010, 4:47PM

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R)

Jeb Bush may not be considering a return to elective politics, but if he were, a Senate seat could well be within his reach.

In a PPP poll released today, Bush was the only Republican to lead Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) in theoretical 2012 matchups. The poll found that 49% of respondents said they would vote for Bush if he ran for the seat, while 44% said they would vote for Nelson.

Rep. Connie Mack was the only other candidate tested in the survey to come within single digits of Nelson, polling just eight points behind, 44% to 36%. Sen. George LeMieux -- who was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by Mel Martinez in 2009, but who did not seek reelection this year -- trailed Nelson 47% to 36%, while Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos polled 12 points behind Nelson, 44% to 32%. Against State Rep. Adam Hasner, Nelson led 46% to 30% in the poll.

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GOP Shadow Budget

Bush On Ryan's Roadmap: 'You Don't Get Steak -- Ever'

Rachel Slajda | August 12, 2010, 9:19AM

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Former Florida governor and brother to Dubya Jeb Bush has a way with words.

He spoke to the New York Times for a story today on Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) "Roadmap" budget plan, which calls for, among other things, dismantling Social Security and Medicare.

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FL-GOV

McCollum's First FL-GOV Ad: Jeb Bush Likes Me! (VIDEO)

Ben Frumin | May 21, 2010, 9:53AM

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is going up today with his first ad in his state's Republican gubernatorial primary. The ad's star? Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL).

"Tough times require proven leadership," Bush says, "Bill McCollum is a principled conservative with a record of doing what's right for Florida."

Bush also says McCollum, who he refers to as "my friend," is "leading the charge to stop President Obama's health care takeover."

McCollum faces health care astroturfer Rick Scott in the the August 24 primary.

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FL-SEN

It's Official: Jeb Bush Backs Rubio In Florida Senate Race

Evan McMorris-Santoro | May 5, 2010, 8:40AM

Former Republican Governor of Florida Jeb Bush

Gov. Charlie Crist's (I) predecessor in the Florida governor's mansion, Jeb Bush (R), has formally endorsed Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate race.

The endorsement was a long time coming. Bush has been known as a tacit supporter of Rubio for months now, and has been out on the stump calling out Crist for supporting President Obama's economic stimulus and vetoing an education bill that was popular with Republicans.

Today, Bush made his support for Rubio official.

"With Marco, what you see is what you get," Bush said in a statement. "You can trust him to look you in the eye and tell you where he stands. And most of all, you can trust that his principles will not change every time the political winds shift direction."

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FL-SEN

Jeb Bush Slams Crist's Veto Of GOP-Backed Education Bill

Eric Kleefeld | April 15, 2010, 6:26PM

Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) and Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL)

Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) is strongly criticizing current Republican Gov. Charlie Crist's veto today of a GOP-backed education bill -- a bill that many have seen as a test of Crist's future in the GOP as he runs for the Senate.

"By taking this action, Governor Crist has jeopardized the ability of Florida to build on the progress of the last decade," Bush wrote, "which includes raising student achievement across the board, narrowing the achievement gap for poor and minority students, and improving graduation rates."

The legislation, which was passed through the Republican legislature in the face of massive protests from teachers, would have abolished tenure for new teachers and instituted strict merit pay guidelines. Bush has previously criticized Crist's backing of President Obama's 2009 stimulus bill -- perhaps the single biggest issue that has dragged Crist down in his primary against Marco Rubio -- as "unforgivable."

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Sarah Palin

Jeb Bush On Sarah Palin: If She Only Had A Brain... (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 24, 2010, 2:13PM

Former Republican Governor of Florida Jeb Bush

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has some advice for Sarah Palin: You'd be a great, if you only had a brain.

In a recent interview with Newsmax, Bush was asked whether he thought Palin was a viable candidate for president. Though he had some nice things to say about her "charisma," it was clear that Bush thinks Palin doesn't have the intellectual heft to occupy the oval office. He said that Palin's success depends on her willingness to add a "depth of understanding of the complexity of life we're living in today" to her rhetoric.

"That's up to her," he said. "I mean, I don't know what her deal is, but my belief is in 2010 and 2012, public leaders need to have intellectual curiosity."

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FL-SEN

Jeb Bush Makes His Move In FL-Sen (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 24, 2010, 10:50AM

Former Republican Governor of Florida Jeb Bush

It's getting harder and harder for Jeb Bush to hide whose side he's on in the Florida GOP Senate primary. In a new interview with Newsmax, Bush took his successor, Gov. Charlie Crist, to task over his support for the economic recovery package, calling Crist's decision to back the plan "unforgivable." Then he attacked Crist's attempts to back away from the decision as Marco Rubio gained traction in the primary race.

"He did it the day before the [stimulus] vote, it was a mistake, and then he denies that he would have supported the bill," Bush said. "I know I'm supposed to be politically correct, and I said I was neutral and all that, [but] I got a problem with that."

The video is after the jump.

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FL-SEN

Jeb Bush Criticizes National GOP Taking Sides For Crist; Rubio Calls For Investigation of ACORN

Eric Kleefeld | September 21, 2009, 4:29PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R)

Marco Rubio, the former Florida House Speaker and current conservative insurgent GOP candidate for Senate, seems to still have some life in him, despite the rush of money and establishment GOP support to moderate Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that former Gov. Jeb Bush, a hero of the state's conservatives, told a local Republican club that while he is not endorsing either candidate, he does object to the national GOP's support of Crist in the primary over Rubio.

"I think he [Rubio] should be given a chance," said Bush. "I think that the idea that the national party would pick a winner a year and a half before an election is the wrong way to go."

Rubio is also aiming to get some mileage out of the latest right-wing target: ACORN.

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Jeb Bush

Christie Fundraiser Features Special Attendee: Jeb Bush

Eric Kleefeld | September 17, 2009, 12:41PM

Fmr. US Attorney Chris Christie (R-NJ) and Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL)

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, the GOP nominee for Governor of New Jersey, ended up having a very special (and, he says, a surprise) guest at a fundraiser last night: Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL).

Christie told the Star-Ledger that a co-host of the event had invited Bush without notifying him, and he didn't know about it until he was on the way to the event itself. Also, Bush did not give a speech. However, Christie and Bush did get their picture taken together, and Christie said that the visit by Jeb "doesn't cause a problem for me" politically.

The Corzine campaign, which has sought to bring Christie down by reminding voters in this Democratic state that Christie himself was a Bush administration official, was quick to pounce last night in a statement: "Christie has vowed to do for New Jersey what George Bush did to the country, by embracing his massive tax cuts for big corporations that will force property taxes higher and drive us deeper into debt and deficit. If that's the economics he embraces, it's no surprise Christie is embracing Bush's brother,