When he announced he was exploring a presidential bid at the end of last year and then launched the Right to Rise PAC to help his 2016 ambitions, the national media dubbed former Gov. Jeb Bushs, R-Fla., start as a shock and awe effort to drive out potential primary rivals.
But even with buzz that Bush could bring in $100 million by the end of May, an unheard of haul for a Republican presidential primary, there are increasing signs that his shock and awe effort did not clear the decks, even as the likes of former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., and former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who announced last week that he wasnt running, stayed out of the contest.
Plenty of candidates have entered the Republican primaries regardless of Bush looming over the race and some of them cover important turf. In Texas, where George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush launched their national political careers and where George P. Bush, the former Florida governors son, is the state land commissioner, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is off and running for the Republican nomination. The Lone Star State could soon have another favorite son. At the end of last week, former Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, said he would make a major announcement on June 4 and he is expected to enter the primaries.
In Florida, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is running for the Republican presidential nomination, cutting into Bushs home base. Bush and Rubio will battle for support in the Sunshine State in the months to come.
Other candidates have also entered the race: Dr. Ben Carson, former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson, businesswoman Carly Fiorina, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. More candidates are expected to get in the race later in the month. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said at the end of last week that he would make a major announcement on May 27. Former Gov. George Pataki, R-N.Y., said last week that he would announce his decision on 2016 at an event in New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary, on May 28.
Another candidate is also getting ready to officially join the race on June 1 and he hails from one of the most important primary states. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., appeared on This Morning on CBS on Monday and said he was planning to run.
While Graham is at the back of the pack in national polls, his home base of South Carolina, which traditionally holds its primary after Iowa and New Hampshire, is unusually important in Republican presidential contests. Set up by Lee Atwater to help George H.W. Bush back in 1988, the South Carolina presidential primary has usually determined the winner of the Republican nomination when Iowa and New Hampshire back separate candidates. The only time in recent years when South Carolina went astray was in 2012 when former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., carried it over Romney. In 1988, South Carolina saved the elder Bush after a third place finish in Iowa and a win in New Hampshire. In 2000, the Palmetto State short-circuited U.S. Sen. John McCains, R-Ariz., surge after he beat George W. Bush in New Hampshire.
Graham may not be much of a factor outside his home state but there are other major contenders still looming. Over the weekend, reports emerged that Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, was very likely entering the presidential primaries.Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., is also expected to enter the presidential primaries.
Other possible Republican candidates include Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, R-Md., former Gov. Jim Gilmore, R-Va., Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and businessman Donald Trump.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
