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Bush Ends Presidential Bid After SC Loss
February 21, 2016
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had the money. He had support from large parts of the Republican establishment. And he had a golden name in GOP politics.
But none of it seemed to matter.
After another lackluster finish Saturday in the South Carolina Republican primary, Bush announced he was halting his presidential campaign. Bush made the televised announcement with his wife, Columba, at his side.
“I’m proud of the campaign that we’ve run to unify our country and to advocate conservative solutions that would give more Americans the opportunity to rise up and reach their God-given potential,” Bush said, appearing emotional. “But the people of Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina have spoken, and I really respect their decision, so tonight I am suspending my campaign.”
The announcement ended the possibility of Bush following his brother and father into the White House and left five Republicans — including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a former Bush protege — in the race.
Rubio later said he has “incredible affection and admiration” for Bush and the Bush family.
“He was the greatest governor in the history of Florida, and I believe and I pray that his service to our country has not yet ended,” Rubio said.
While the favorite of many Republican insiders and fund-raisers, Bush could never appear to get his footing in a race that has been largely dominated by the outsider Donald Trump. That showed again Saturday, with Trump easily winning the South Carolina primary after also winning in New Hampshire.
Bush announced the campaign suspension as results showed him winning less than 10 percent of the vote in South Carolina and trailing Trump, Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Trump repeatedly took shots at Bush during the campaign, including describing the former governor as “low energy” — a description that got widespread attention.
Bush was elected governor in 1998 and was a dominating presence during his two terms in Tallahassee, earning a reputation as something of a policy wonk. In his speech Saturday night, Bush defended his policy-driven approach to the noisy presidential campaign.
“In this campaign, I have stood my ground, refusing to bend to the political winds,” Bush said. “We put forward detailed, innovative, conservative plans to address the mounting challenges that we face, because despite what you might have heard, ideas matter, policy matters, and I truly hope that these ideas that we’ve laid out will serve as a blueprint for a generation of conservative leaders at every level of government so that we can take back our country.”
Rubio, who was in a battle Saturday night with Cruz for second place in South Carolina, tried to cast the campaign after Bush’s exit as a three-candidate race that includes Rubio, Cruz and Trump. Ohio Gov. John Kasich and physician Ben Carson also remain in the race.
“After tonight, this has become a three-person race, and we will win the nomination,” Rubio said.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Comments
16 Responses to “Bush Ends Presidential Bid After SC Loss”
JEB- possibly the best candidate out of the whole lot! but a 4 letter word destroyed his campaign—BUSH
Folks– Remember the Nuclear Triad! Bombers, Missiles, Submarines
Do you want Donald Trump controlling the button that could destroy over 50 percent of life on earth? If he wins the nomination, I will vote for him, but I will not sleep good at night.
Might as well put a hammer/ sickle on the American Flag with Hillary or Bernie.
Any Elephant will be better than a donkey!
Donald Trump may not be the solution, but he could be no worse than Obama.
If mass immigration and a 19 trillion dollar deficit are not brought under control, America will be as the Balkans, circa 1995.
I do not have a problem with a collapse of central authority here in America. I would imagine that the citizens would suddenly find easy solutions to correct problems such as open boarders and deficit spending.
If all else fails, let it burn.
No Clinton or Bush. Good you are gone.
Establishment ( politicians) to me means the “ruling class”…….once in office ( most ) of them think (they) and their (cohorts) and their ($ backers) alone know what’s best for all of us. There are not many “non establishment ” candidates in politics now. The PAC’s and money flow and lies should be a disgrace to honest, clear thinking , concerned Americans . It’s long past time to rid ourselves of them and their media connections. But remember the media makes millions and billions every election cycle . Actually it’s really just a big game…..and guess who the losers are ?
I guess I’m old enough to remember when Bush was governor. He pushed for lower taxes and won. He was by all signs a good person. Those who think Trump is the answer will find they are sadly mistaken.
Establishment politicians generally are about keeping their seats in the Congress at all costs, they compromise what few principals they have and pander votes with special interests groups. They come down here and tell us they are conservative and go back to DC and act like a lap dog for the other side.
When they come back to address their constituents they act like we are all ” the great unwashed” or that we are like children and too naive to understand.
JEB, in my opinion, was one of those.
Marco, JEB,Niki Haley, Romney= Establishment politicians….let’s give them a new title= loser
John Ellis Bush, aka JEB, you shoulda listened to your Sweet Mama in the first place and stayed out of politics, Bless your little disconnected heart.
Now go home and enjoy the family fortune.
I have long said our country needed a lunatic leader much like a mix between Kim Jung-Un and Vladamir Putin.
Now we have Mr. Trump, problem solved.
We can play our President is crazier than yours.
But I’m with you, no Hill and Bill show.
What is an establishment politician? Is that someone willing to talk in a level headed tone with commonsense? It is it someone willing to negotiate and compromise? The only way to stop millions of immigrants from flowing into this country is fine heavily those that hire them. No republican is going to fine business, there goes their financing.
Amen
Bush should have thrown in the towel sooner. I wish he’d have spared us his desperation in having GWB trying to get the wheels back on his failed campaign. I think Jeb is a decent, yet misguided adminstrator. He’d have done about as well as his brother, which isn’t saying much.
Jen, just doesn’t get it. What killed Jeb is one word…..amnesty! Jeb is a poster boy for how disconnected politicians are from real people, and experience shock when confronted with reality. The pollution of our nation thru it’s open borders is our death and downfall. Amnesty Jeb,amnesty. Get it?
Jeb was an idiot to think the majority wanted another Bush in office… Just a waste of money, time and resources on his part. Well… it’s not like its his money he’s wasting. Good riddance Jeb, we needed another Bush in office like Florida needs another “1977 The Hills Have Eyes Michael Berryman,” Rick Scott governor.
Now if we make sure Billary doesn’t make it into the White House we may live through the next 5-6 years.
Good riddance to another establishment politician.
Jeb finally says something I can support!
Illegal immigration is what killed Jeb’s campaign. He’s way too soft on that issue, just like his brother.