Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush
Born	John Ellis Bush (1953-02-11) February 11, 1953 Midland, Texas, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, politician
Years active	1974–present
Known for	43rd Governor of Florida (1999–2007), 2016 Republican presidential candidate

John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who held the office of the 43rd governor of Florida from 1999 until 2007. As a member of the prominent Bush political dynasty, he sought the Republican nomination for president of the United States in the 2016 Republican primaries but did not secure it.

Born and raised in Houston, Bush is the second son of former president George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush. He is also the younger sibling of former president George W. Bush. After completing his education at Phillips Academy, he earned a degree specializing in Latin American affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1980, he relocated to Florida to embark on a career in real estate development. Between 1987 and 1988, he served as Florida's secretary of commerce before contributing to his father's victorious 1988 presidential campaign.

Bush's initial attempt at the governorship came in 1994, when he narrowly lost to incumbent Lawton Chiles. He succeeded in winning the governorship in 1998 with 55% of the vote, taking office after Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay filled the position following Chiles' death shortly before his term ended. Re-elected in 2002 with 56% support, Bush became Florida's first Republican governor to serve two terms. His tenure emphasized a significant Everglades conservation project, established limits on medical malpractice claim awards, initiated a pilot program for Medicaid privatization, and implemented educational reforms promoting vouchers and school choice.

On June 15, 2015, Bush declared his candidacy for president but ended his campaign following the South Carolina primary on February 20, 2016. He later endorsed Senator Ted Cruz and openly criticized President Donald Trump throughout and after the 2016 election period.

Early life

Jeb Bush was born on February 11, 1953, in Midland, Texas. When he was six years old, his family moved to Houston’s Tanglewood neighborhood. The nickname "Jeb" originates from his initials J.E.B. He grew up alongside two younger brothers, Neil and Marvin, a younger sister named Dorothy, and an older brother, George, who was seven years older.

His early education took place at Grady Elementary School in Houston before he enrolled at the distinguished boarding school Phillips Academy, located in Andover, Massachusetts, at age 14. Although he initially faced academic difficulties and nearly faced expulsion, he improved sufficiently to earn a place on the honor roll by his senior year and served as captain of the tennis team. During high school, he experimented with marijuana and hashish recreationally.

At age 17, Bush participated in Andover’s student exchange program in Mexico, where he taught English and assisted in constructing a school in Ibarrilla near León, Guanajuato. It was there that he met his future wife, Columba Garnica Gallo.

After graduating from high school in 1971, Bush registered for the draft and received lottery number 26 in 1972; nevertheless, no draft orders were issued due to the shift toward an all-volunteer military force in 1973.

Despite many family members attending Yale University, Bush chose to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin in September 1971. He played varsity tennis for the Texas Longhorns during 1973 and graduated magna cum laude as well as being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American studies after completing his coursework within two and a half years.

Early career

Bush's professional journey began in 1974 with an entry-level position within the international division of Texas Commerce Bank, an institution established by the family of James Baker. In 1977, he was assigned to Caracas, Venezuela, where he took charge of inaugurating a new branch, acting as both branch manager and vice president.

Following the 1980 presidential election, Bush relocated to Miami-Dade County, Florida and partnered with real estate magnate Armando Codina, a Cuban immigrant who had built his wealth independently. Codina founded The Codina Group to capitalize on real estate ventures. Bush concentrated on attracting tenants for commercial properties and became a partner in one of South Florida's foremost real estate development firms, earning 40% of its profits. By 1983, Bush had publicly stated his ambition to accumulate significant wealth.

During his tenure in Miami, Bush diversified his entrepreneurial activities. He worked with a mobile telecommunications company, served on the board of a Norwegian-owned fire safety equipment manufacturer supplying the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, held a minority stake in the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, acquired a shoe company distributing products in Panama, and took part in a water pump initiative in Nigeria.

Additionally, Bush acted as a lobbyist for Miguel Recarey, the leader of International Medical Centres (IMC), a Florida-based HMO. Although engaged as a real estate consultant with a $75,000 fee for locating a new site for IMC—a task that was never completed—Bush successfully lobbied the Reagan administration to waive Medicare enrollee proportion restrictions that favored IMC. Recarey’s organization received $781 million in Medicare funds but failed to compensate healthcare providers. By 2015, Recarey was living as a fugitive in Spain. The IMC scandal stands as one of Medicare's most significant fraud cases.

Early political career

Bush volunteered enthusiastically for his father’s presidential campaigns in both 1980 and 1988, initially serving without compensation. In the mid-1980s, he formally entered politics by becoming chairman of the Dade County Republican Party, which played an instrumental role in Bob Martinez’s successful gubernatorial campaign in 1986. Following this victory, Martinez appointed Bush as Florida’s Secretary of Commerce, a role he fulfilled from 1987 until 1988 before stepping down to support his father’s campaign efforts.

Between 1981 and 1992, Bush maintained close ties with his father’s administration. He leveraged these connections to recommend Dexter Lehtinen for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and facilitated interactions between the Bush Administration and Motorola. He championed Cuban exile interests in South Florida and endorsed the U.S. embargo against Cuba. In 1990, Bush persuaded his father to grant a pardon to Orlando Bosch, a Cuban exile convicted of firing a rocket at a Polish vessel.

In 1989, Bush managed Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s victorious congressional campaign; she became the first Cuban-American elected to Congress.

1994 gubernatorial bid

In 1994, Bush mounted an unsuccessful campaign against incumbent Democratic governor Lawton Chiles. Running on a conservative platform, Bush declared he would do "probably nothing" specifically targeted at African American communities, instead promoting "equality of opportunity, not equality of results." He maintained a lead for much of the race until controversy arose weeks before Election Day when an advertisement aired featuring the mother of a girl who had been abducted and murdered years earlier. The ad criticized Chiles as "too liberal on crime" and promised that Bush would enforce the death penalty rigorously and ensure criminals served their full sentences.

This advertisement provoked widespread criticism from prosecutors and former justices statewide who challenged its accuracy. It drew comparisons to the notorious 1988 Willie Horton ad. Bush further undermined his credibility by admitting that immediate signing of death warrants would not have altered the case outcome.

As public opinion shifted amid concerns about Bush’s trustworthiness, Chiles emphasized this distrust through ads concluding with: "That's why we can't trust Jeb Bush with our future."

During the final prime-time debate moderated by Tim Russert, Bush was questioned about the ad's misleading nature. He defended it by branding Chiles "liberal on crime" and stated he would have extended its airtime. Chiles countered by underscoring his long-standing support for capital punishment and noted eight executions during his governorship. He condemned Bush for exploiting a grieving mother’s story in what he called a "demagogic" ad filled with falsehoods—labeling it a political low point even surpassing his father's controversial tactics during the 1988 campaign. (The convicted individual referenced in the ad was executed in 2013 under Governor Rick Scott.)

Bush narrowly lost by 63,940 votes out of more than 4.2 million cast (51% to 49%). That same year, his brother George secured election as Governor of Texas. Subsequently, Bush joined the Heritage Foundation board and continued collaborating with Codina Partners. Together with T. Willard Fair, president of Miami's Urban League affiliate, he contributed to founding Florida's first charter school.

Governor of Florida

In 1998, Bush pursued the governorship once more, overcoming Democrat Buddy MacKay, who was serving as lieutenant governor at the time. He secured re-election in 2002, becoming the first Republican in Florida's history to serve two consecutive terms as governor. Throughout his eight-year administration, Bush prioritized environmental initiatives such as Everglades preservation, endorsed limits on medical malpractice lawsuits, shifted Medicaid recipients toward private care systems, and introduced educational reforms including voucher programs and expanded school choice options. During the 2000 presidential election recount in Florida—where his brother George ultimately won the presidency—Bush abstained from any official involvement.

1998 election bid

In the 1998 gubernatorial race, Bush defeated then-Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay by a margin exceeding 418,000 votes (2,191,105 to 1,773,054), capturing 55% of the vote compared to MacKay's 45%. Branding himself as a "consensus-building pragmatist," he and his brother George W. Bush simultaneously held governorships in Florida and Texas respectively—a historic occurrence not seen since the Rockefeller brothers in the late 1960s. During this campaign, Bush earned 61% support from Hispanic voters and garnered 14% of the African American electorate.

2002 re-election bid

Bush faced no opposition in the Republican primary of 2002 and competed against Democrat Bill McBride in what became Florida’s most costly gubernatorial contest at that time, including two televised debates. The election proceeded without incident, culminating in a clear victory for Bush with 56% of the vote versus McBride’s 43%, thereby expanding his winning margin from four years earlier.

In this election cycle, Bush attracted 44% of the Jewish vote statewide and secured the white female vote within Central Florida’s pivotal I-4 corridor, a key swing region. However, his backing among African American voters declined to 8%. Significantly, he became the first Republican governor in Florida’s history to be re-elected.

Economic policy

During his governorship, Bush managed a reduction in state taxes totaling roughly $13 billion after accounting for inflation and the repeal of the federal estate tax. By 2006, this translated into annual tax savings averaging about $140 per resident. A substantial portion of these cuts resulted from eliminating Florida’s Intangible Personal Property Tax on financial assets such as stocks and bonds. Notably, Bush chose not to implement a state-level replacement for the discontinued federal estate tax.

Under his leadership, Florida’s budget reserves expanded markedly—from $1.3 billion to $9.8 billion—while the state achieved its highest bond rating ever recorded. This fiscal growth was supported by a robust real estate market despite ongoing tax reductions. Additionally, Bush reduced the size of state government employees by approximately 11% and exercised a line-item veto totaling $448.7 million that reduced funding for libraries and experimental education programs.

Fiscal assessments by the libertarian Cato Institute assigned Bush grades between B and A from 2000 through 2004; however, these ratings declined to a C by 2006, indicating varied evaluations of his financial management over time.

Education policy

The Bush administration focused heavily on reforming public education through the "A+ Plan," which introduced elevated standards, compulsory testing for every student, and a system that rated Florida schools. Between 1998 and 2005, Florida's 4th grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress rose by 11 points, significantly outpacing the national increase of 2.5 points.

Bush was a proponent of school vouchers and charter schools, especially targeting regions with underperforming public schools, although very few schools were actually designated as failing. He launched the McKay Scholarship Program aimed at students with learning disabilities and the A+ Opportunity Scholarship Program for other students; however, the latter was invalidated by the Florida Supreme Court in 2006.

Additionally, Bush initiated the Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship, which provided tax incentives to corporations that contributed to Scholarship Funding Organizations offering scholarships exclusively to children from low-income families.

Opposed to raising taxes for educational funding, Bush resisted a ballot measure intended to limit class sizes, despite its passage by voters.

In the realm of higher education, Bush authorized the creation of three new medical schools and implemented the "One Florida" initiative, which effectively ended affirmative action policies in admissions at state universities. These actions led to the University of Florida faculty declining to award him an honorary degree, although he was later honored as an honorary alumnus by the university’s alumni association.

Health policy

During his governorship, Bush enacted significant reforms to Florida’s medical liability framework, including imposing caps on non-economic damages in cases of injury and wrongful death. Although initially facing resistance from a Republican-controlled Senate, Bush convened five special legislative sessions to ultimately secure approval for these reforms. Nevertheless, in 2014, the Florida Supreme Court declared these damage caps unconstitutional under the state Constitution’s equal protection provisions.

Bush also overhauled Florida’s Medicaid program by transitioning recipients into private managed care arrangements.

In the widely publicized Terri Schiavo case, Bush signed "Terri's Law," permitting him to maintain life support for Schiavo despite legal challenges from her husband. This law was subsequently ruled unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene.

Throughout his time in office, Bush maintained a firm anti-abortion position, endorsing parental notification requirements for teenage abortions and supporting guardianship rights in cases involving unborn children of mentally disabled rape victims. He also enacted legislation establishing the "Choose Life" specialty license plate to promote pro-life advocacy within Florida.

Other policies

In 2000, Bush approved legislation aimed at restoring the Everglades as part of an $8 billion collaborative effort with the federal government and protected over one million acres through land acquisitions dedicated to conservation.

In 2001, he removed civil service protections from more than 16,000 state positions to simplify employee termination processes and issued an executive order eliminating racial preferences in state contracting.

Bush backed a 2004 proposal that would have permitted undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses; however, it did not pass. He also supported over a dozen new firearm owner protections and signed Florida’s stand-your-ground law in 2005—the first law of its kind in the nation.

A supporter of capital punishment, twenty-one executions took place during Bush’s administration. Following a problematic execution in 2006 that lasted 37 minutes and required a second lethal injection, he halted all executions statewide.

Under his leadership, the racial and gender diversity within Florida’s judiciary increased, though some Democratic critics accused his judicial appointments of being highly partisan.

Rejection of high-speed rail and other vetoes

Governor Bush regularly employed the line-item veto as a tool to curtail state expenditures. Among the various measures he vetoed was legislation concerning "parenting coordinators."

In 1995, the Florida legislature established the High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), envisioning a public-private partnership framework. The funding strategy combined state allocations, federal contributions, and tax-exempt bonds, while private entities were responsible for investing in, designing, constructing, and operating the trains under a design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) model. Ownership of the trains was to remain private, akin to how airlines utilize publicly funded airports.

Projected costs for the initiative ranged between $7 billion and $8 billion. HSRA collaborated with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and a consortium including Fluor Corporation and Bombardier Transportation, which pledged a $300 million investment and endorsed the DBOM model. The state planned to issue bonds supported by FDOT’s commitment of $70 million annually—escalating by 3% each year over three decades—to cover bond servicing. Federal funds were designated to pay bond interest, state funds would cover principal repayment, and any operational profits were intended to reduce outstanding debt.

Upon assuming office in 1999, Bush halted the high-speed rail project, citing concerns over financial risk and taxpayer burden. In reaction, lawmakers placed a constitutional amendment on the 2000 ballot mandating project construction by 2003, which voters approved. Despite this, Bush vetoed appropriations for both the project and its governing board and spearheaded an effort to overturn the amendment. Ultimately, voters rescinded it, although there was widespread confusion regarding the referendum’s purpose.

Nazih Haddah, FDOT’s spokesperson, condemned the repeal campaign as deceptive, emphasizing that both financing and project plans were solid and lamenting Florida’s lost opportunity. Critics contended that Bush’s actions favored affluent stakeholders—such as developers, energy companies, and highway contractors—who opposed mass transit initiatives. Orlando transportation expert Ian Lockwood characterized this stance as emblematic of "the arrogance of kind of the 1%."

Public opinion polling

As reported by The Miami Herald, Bush maintained an average job approval rating of 58 percent throughout his eight-year tenure, with a notable partisan divide: 70 percent approval among Republicans contrasted with 32 percent among Democrats. Additionally, 66 percent of independents awarded his governorship an A or B grade.

A November 1999 poll by Orlando Sentinel indicated that 60 percent of Floridians rated Bush as "excellent or good," though an April 2000 survey from The Florida Voter reflected a dip to 54 percent. In August 2000, South Florida Sun Sentinel recorded his approval at 57 percent. By June 2001—when Bush announced his bid for a second term—approval hovered in the mid-50s but declined to 49 percent in August, marking the first instance where disapproval surpassed approval. In January 2002, The Tampa Tribune reported that 58 percent viewed his performance as "excellent or good."

A March 2002 poll by Tampa Tribune showed approval at 56 percent, which increased to 62 percent by June according to Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy. Conversely, a July poll from The Florida Voter revealed a decrease to 52 percent. Leading up to his October reelection campaign, The Tarrance Group documented a 57 percent approval rating; he ultimately secured victory with 56 percent of votes. A June 2003 survey conducted by Sun Sentinel found that 54 percent rated him "excellent" or "good."

By April 2004, Orlando Sentinel reported consistent ratings at 54 percent "excellent or good," while an August survey by SurveyUSA registered approval at 56 percent. Following the intense hurricane season of 2004, approval climbed to 61 percent according to a Strategic Vision poll. By September 2005, polls from both SurveyUSA and Quinnipiac University indicated approval stood at 53 percent. In March 2006, Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy found that 63 percent rated him "excellent or good." An October poll by St. Petersburg Times showed that 56 percent assigned Bush an A or B grade. November polling from Mason-Dixon recorded his peak approval at 64 percent.

Influence on political party

Susan MacManus, a political analyst at the University of South Florida, points out that within Florida, Bush continues to be viewed as a conservative figure, especially regarding economic and social policies.

Outside Florida, Republican officials across the country have sought Bush’s endorsement. His campaign involvement in other states includes Kentucky, where Republican Ernie Fletcher secured the governorship in 2003 following an appearance with Bush, breaking a 32-year Democratic hold. In early 2014, Bush supported New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Florida Congressman David Jolly, who won a special election.

Bush has encountered criticism from the Tea Party movement over his stances on immigration and the Common Core standards, which some conservatives oppose. On June 11, 2012, he expressed disapproval of the national Republican Party for enforcing rigid conformity that limits dissenting opinions, suggesting that figures like Ronald Reagan and his father might struggle to find acceptance within today’s GOP.

In October 2013, Bush publicly endorsed immigration reform. By April 2014, he described unauthorized immigration as "an act of love" and familial dedication, recognizing that consequences should exist but urging a more empathetic perspective toward immigrants striving to support their families.

Political involvements

Between 2004 and 2007, Bush was a member of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), responsible for shaping policies related to K-12 academic assessments in American schools. His education foundation has been a supporter of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. In October 2013, while acknowledging opposition to Common Core, Bush stressed the importance of finding solutions to enhance education across the United States.

In May 2006, Bush was considered a candidate for the National Football League commissioner position as Paul Tagliabue prepared to retire. He declined the opportunity, citing his intention to complete his governorship term through January 2007. Ultimately, Roger Goodell was appointed to the role.

In September 2024, Bush joined several former governors in signing a letter urging incumbent governors to certify their states’ election outcomes after the November elections.

Business pursuits

Fox Business reported that nearly half of the $29 million Bush earned between 2007 and his announcement for the 2014 presidential race came from Wall Street firms and corporations. In April 2007, he joined the board of directors at Tenet Healthcare. That August, he took on an advisory role with Lehman Brothers’ private equity division. Additionally, Bush has been on the boards of InnoVida, Swisher Hygiene, and Rayonier and has served as an advisor to Barclays. Following InnoVida’s bankruptcy filing, Bush returned $270,000 in consulting fees.

By 2014, Bush had earned over $2 million from Tenet Healthcare, a company anticipating $100 million in new revenue due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which it actively supported. Although Bush reportedly voiced objections to the ACA during company meetings, he distinguished his personal opinions from Tenet’s corporate interests. He also holds multiple international stock investments.

2016 presidential campaign

Since the conclusion of the 2012 election, Bush was viewed as a potential contender for the 2016 United States presidential election. On October 2, 2014, George W. Bush remarked that his brother "wants to be President". Then, on December 16, 2014, Bush declared via Facebook that he was "actively exploring" a bid for the 2016 presidency and stepped down from multiple corporate board roles to dedicate himself to the campaign.

In February 2015, Bush made public thousands of emails from his gubernatorial tenure, which stirred debate due to the inclusion of sensitive personal data such as social security numbers and home addresses. His campaign subsequently removed this private information.

Bush prolonged his exploratory phase to nearly half a year, during which he engaged extensively with the press, sought donor support, and crafted campaign strategies while carefully adhering to campaign finance regulations. He postponed formally announcing his candidacy to avoid restrictions on individual contributions. By May 2015, nearly $100 million had been raised for his super PAC, Right to Rise.

The official launch of Bush’s campaign occurred on June 15, 2015, at Miami Dade College. He presented himself as a moderate Republican grounded in conservative values, promoting immigration reform while emphasizing his Spanish language skills and his wife’s Mexican background. He also criticized Hillary Clinton, with analysts suggesting that these factors might resonate with Hispanic voters.

Following disappointing results in Iowa and New Hampshire, Bush concentrated on the South Carolina primary but finished fourth with less than 8% of votes. Subsequently, he ended his campaign and endorsed Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. Experts attributed his underperformance to misalignment with core Republican priorities, ineffective campaign tactics, internal divisions, and an inability to counter Donald Trump’s ascendancy.

In May 2016, Bush revealed he would abstain from voting for either Trump or Clinton in the general election.

Political positions

Throughout his political career and notably during his 2015 presidential run, Bush has taken stances on a wide range of issues.

Domestic issues

Bush permits abortion solely in situations involving rape, incest, or when the mother's life is at risk and opposes government funding for abortion providers.

He generally disputes the scientific consensus on climate change; while recognizing global warming exists, he questions that human activity is its main cause. National Journal observed that he does not fully embrace prevailing scientific views.

Bush advocates dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA), describing it as a "monstrosity" fundamentally flawed. He proposes a market-driven alternative featuring state or local catastrophic coverage for extreme cases. After the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision upholding the ACA, he maintained that opposition efforts would continue.

On immigration policy, Bush endorses a legalization pathway for undocumented immigrants that stops short of citizenship. This path requires penalties, work authorization, tax compliance, English proficiency, no reliance on public aid, and a clean criminal record. He supports stricter enforcement measures including prosecuting employers who knowingly hire illegal workers.

Bush opposes same-sex marriage and disagreed with the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling; he believes individual states should determine marriage laws. He upholds businesses’ rights to refuse services for same-sex weddings based on religious convictions. In 2015, he supported allowing transgender individuals to serve openly in the military provided it does not undermine morale.

He promotes expanding gun rights and maintained a stringent law-and-order stance as governor. During his 1998 campaign, he emphasized mandatory minimum sentences for firearm offenses (10-20-life). He endorses capital punishment and oversaw 21 executions while governor but expressed personal reservations about it in 2015. Previous campaigns included proposals to limit appeals in death penalty cases and publicize juvenile offenders’ identities. In 2002, he opposed a Florida initiative offering treatment instead of incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders; that same year his daughter received drug-related treatment.

Bush has openly admitted to using marijuana as a teenager, labeling it a "stupid" and "wrong" choice. He believes marijuana legalization decisions should be left to individual states.

He stands against net neutrality regulations. In September 2020, Bush showed interest in universal basic income ideas popularized by Andrew Yang.

Economic issues

Bush promotes lowering capital gains and property taxes, advocating for widespread tax reductions and diminished government involvement to drive economic expansion. He supports reforms to welfare programs that include imposing a four-year cap on benefits, requiring able-bodied recipients to participate in work-related activities, and limiting assistance for children born while the family is receiving welfare.

He favors a phased increase in the Social Security retirement age from 65 to a range between 68 and 70. Bush frequently critiques the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Dodd–Frank legislation, contending that these regulatory measures heighten systemic vulnerabilities within the financial industry.

International relations and security

In May 2015, Bush expressed that he would have authorized the 2003 invasion of Iraq based on the intelligence available at that time but later admitted that he would not have proceeded if he had known what is now understood. He believes that ousting Saddam Hussein contributed to global security. While opposing a large-scale new U.S. military deployment against ISIS, Bush supports embedding American troops with Iraqi forces for training and targeted operations, and proposes establishing a new U.S. military base in al-Anbar province.

Bush cites his brother, former President George W. Bush, as an important advisor on policy regarding Israel. He endorses ongoing NSA phone metadata collection and supports the USA Patriot Act, criticizing attempts to limit these surveillance initiatives as weakening national security.

Calling for increased defense spending beyond 2.5% of GDP, Bush condemns the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement as "horrific" and an act of "appeasement," warning it enables Iran to exert influence over the Middle East. Nonetheless, he would not immediately seek to overturn the deal upon assuming office.

Bush backed President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, commending it as a significant affirmation of U.S.-Israel relations.

Civic and charitable activities

Following his defeat in the 1994 Florida gubernatorial race, Bush concentrated on policy initiatives and volunteer work with organizations such as Miami Children's Hospital, United Way of Dade County, and the Dade County Homeless Trust.

Between 2012 and 2015, he served as co-chair of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. He has also partnered with The James Madison Institute (JMI), a free-market public policy think tank based in Tallahassee, including collaborating through his Foundation for Excellence in Education on the 2008 summit titled "Excellence in Action: A National Summit on Education Reform."

In 1996, The Foundation For Florida's Future released Profiles in Character, a book co-authored by Bush that draws a parallel to John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage. The foundation also published policy documents such as "A New Lease on Learning: Florida's First Charter School," which Bush helped write. Additionally, he authored the foreword for Nina Shokraii Rees's School Choice 2000: What's Happening in the States, published by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Bush co-established Florida's inaugural charter school, Liberty City Charter School (serving grades K-6), located in a historically disadvantaged Miami neighborhood. The school was founded alongside T. Willard Fair, leader of the Greater Miami Urban League. It ceased operations in 2008 after accumulating debts exceeding $1 million.

In 2000, Bush launched the Points of Light program to honor exceptional volunteers and organizations.

He holds the position of honorary chairman for the Annual AT&T Jeb Bush Florida Golf Classic, a fundraising event supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Since its inception, this event has generated over $7.4 million, including more than $722,000 raised in 2014 alone, surpassing both attendance and financial targets.

Personal life

During a foreign exchange teaching assignment in León, Mexico, in 1970, Bush encountered Columba Garnica Gallo. The couple wed on February 23, 1974, in Austin, Texas. By 2014, their family was established in Coral Gables, Florida. Bush possesses fluency in Spanish.

The Bush family includes three children: George Prescott (born April 24, 1976), who attended Gulliver Preparatory School, Rice University, and the University of Texas School of Law, and was elected Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office in 2014; Noelle Lucila (born 1977), whose challenges with substance abuse were openly discussed by Bush during his 2015 campaign; and Jeb Bush Jr. (born 1983), active in Miami’s commercial real estate industry. Additionally, Bush is a grandfather to four grandchildren.

In 1995, Bush transitioned from Episcopalianism to Catholicism and attained the rank of Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus in 2004. He is affiliated with Father Hugon Council 3521 located in Tallahassee.

Following the passing of his mother Barbara Bush in April 2018, he represented the family by delivering a eulogy at her funeral.

Electoral history

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Bibliography

• Jeb Bush, Brian Yablonski, Profiles in Character, Foundation for Florida's Future, 1996, ISBN 978-0-9650912-0-6
• Clint Bolick, Jeb Bush, Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution, Simon & Schuster, 2013, ISBN 978-1-4767-1346-5

Further reading

• Fred Barnes, "Governor in Chief: Jeb Bush's remarkable eight years of achievement in Florida," The Weekly Standard, June 12, 2006.
• Sydney P. Freedberg, "Jeb Bush: The Son Rises Away from Dad's Shadow," The Miami Herald, August 15, 1994.
• Arianna Huffington, "The latest Bush hypocrisy," Salon.com, September 16, 2002.
• Andres Viglucci and Alfonso Chardy, "Bush and business: Fast success, brushes with mystery," The Miami Herald, October 5, 2002.
• William Yardley, "Jeb Bush: His early values shape his politics," The Miami Herald, September 22, 2002.

External links

• [Official governor's portrait and biography at the Museum of Florida History]
• [Jeb Bush at Biography.com]
• [Jeb Bush's file at PolitiFact.com]
• [Jeb Bush collected news and commentary at the Miami Herald]
• [Jeb Bush collected news and commentary at the Tampa Bay Times]