Bloomberg View (Editorial)
June 15, 2015
John
Ellis Bush -- grandson of the late Senator Prescott Sheldon Bush, son
of former President George Herbert Walker Bush, brother of former
President George Walker Bush
and heir to the political estate known as the "Bush network" -- has a
fight on his hands. And anyone who cares about politics -- not just
Republican or presidential politics, but honest politics -- has a stake
in this fight.
The
former governor of Florida, who previously served on the board of
Bloomberg Philanthropies, had hoped to spook rivals out of the
Republican presidential primary with
a showing of financial and party support. He may yet produce the
financial war chest, courtesy of a super-PAC that amounts to the
conjoined twin of his campaign. But endorsements and votes are going to
be won hard or not at all.
The
most interesting thing about Bush's campaign, which he announced
Monday, is how he plans to earn that support. Last year, Bush said that
for his party to be successful
in 2016, its nominee had to be willing to "lose the primary to win the
general." Appealing too strenuously to Republican base voters would
alienate the general electorate.
Following
such advice will be harder than offering it. So far, however, Bush has
largely been true to his word. He has refused to sign the anti-tax
pledge that constricts
Republican policy-making. And he has stood his ground in favor of
immigration reform -- with a path to legalization for undocumented
immigrants who are longtime residents of the U.S. -- and the Common Core
educational testing standards that he has long and
vigorously championed.
Bush
has also been a successful governor of a large, diverse and complex
state. He has a sharp mind for policy and the ability to master
unscripted encounters with voters
and the news media. His commitment to diversifying his party is the
surest path to its success in the 21st century. And -- especially
compared with that of some of his primary opponents -- his view of
government's role in society is notable for its generosity.
"My core beliefs start with a premise that the most vulnerable in our
society should be in the front of the line, not the back," he said in a
campaign video released in advance of his official announcement.
It's
worth recalling that just a decade ago, Bush was one of the most
conservative governors in the U.S., implementing education reforms and
tax cuts and championing socially
conservative causes that alarmed Democrats. That he enters the
Republican primary hobbled by his family name is perhaps unavoidable.
That some Republicans are calling him too moderate to be their
standard-bearer should give more Republicans pause.
If Bush continues to campaign on his own terms, not only his party will benefit -- the nation might, as well.
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