On Thursday, Jeb Bush Jr., the namesake of the former governor and one of the heirs of one of the leading political dynasties in American history, was named to help lead the Florida effort of Maverick PAC (MavPAC), a Republican-aligned group looking to reach out to young voters.
Bush and Slater Bayliss will head up MavPACs Florida operations. They will rely on more than than 20 regional chairmen named by MavPAC for the Sunshine State on Thursday.
Im excited to welcome Jeb Bush Jr. to the MavPAC Florida team, said Bayliss, a lobbyist and Republican activist with ties to some of the leading conservatives in Florida, including former Gov. Jeb Bush and American Conservative Union (ACU) Chairman Al Cardenas. Bayliss is a member of the national MavPAC board. MavPAC Floridas goal is to attract young, professional conservatives who are actively involved in the most important issues affecting the future of our state and our nation. I look forward to working with Jeb Jr. as we continue to provide a vehicle to put those ideals into action.
Some of the leading Republicans in the Sunshine State cheered the younger Bush on Thursday as he begins his new role at MavPAC. Bushs father had warm words of praise for his son, insisting the younger Bush and Bayliss had the right credentials for their posts.
Jeb Jr. and Slater Bayliss are uniquely qualified to ensure MavPAC Floridas success, said the former governor. As young professionals who are involved in their communities and the political process, they have the experience and knowledge in how to encourage their peers across Florida to support the conservative leaders America needs. With these two leading the charge, MavPAC Florida will make a distinct mark in Republican politics.
Bayliss and Bush also garnered praise from current Republican officeholders.
Conservative policies are working to turn around our economy in Florida, and I am glad that Maverick PACs Jeb Jr. and Slater are blazing the trail for the next generation of Republicans, said Gov. Rick Scott. We have a unique opportunity for young reform-minded conservatives to shape the direction of our great state and our nation.
MavPAC is changing the game by helping to elect a new generation of Republican that will help put our country back on track, said Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. By bringing new, young Republicans into the fold, Jeb Jr. and Slater will ensure our partys future is bright and filled with hard-working, principle-centered candidates that will help restore the promise of America.
Among the regional chairs named on Thursday were Scott staffer Michael Sevi, lobbyist Jose Gonzalez, well-known in Tallahassee for his time with the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) and former George W. Bush White House staffer Lucas Boyce, currently with the Orlando Magic. Boyce had been exploring running for a Florida House seat in Central Florida as a Republican in 2014 but opted out of the race.
The news that Jeb Bush Jr. will head up MavPACs Florida operations reinforces his position in the Sunshine State, even as his brother George P. Bush continues to run to be state land commissioner in Texas where his uncle and grandfather rose to political prominence and, eventually, the presidency. While he has stayed on the political sidelines so far, Jeb Bush Jr.s name continues to surface as a potential candidate for higher office, including running for the South Florida congressional seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
