Posted by
Always To The Right on Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:30:56 PM
Jeb Bush ran Florida for two terms as Governor, leaving office with astronomic approval ratings,
which makes him by far and away the Republican Party’s best bet to hold
the Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez’ retirement. But will
Jeb Bush feel comfortable as a legislator rather than an executive?
And will his family name wind up being a hindrance as his brother
leaves the White House? Better yet, will Jeb even run for the office?
The “dynasty” crack is more than a little unfair. Jeb Bush has worked
his way to power, doing the kind of party building that his older
brother more or less skipped on his rise to the presidency. He served
for two years as Florida’s commerce secretary, ran successful political
campaigns for other Republicans, lost his first election to Lawton
Chiles by a whisker and returned the next gubernatorial election to
handily defeat Chiles’ lieutenant governor, Buddy McKay. He then ran
the state of Florida for eight years, and did so well enough to leave
office with over 60% approval ratings last year on his way out the door.