With his famous family last name, George P. Bush is caught in the middle of promoting his candidacy for a powerful political position in Texas while attempting to deflect questions about his father Jeb Bush's potential presidential aspirations.
Although he's only running for election as the state's land commissioner, George P. is a "rising star" in the Republican Party and leading GOP operatives expect that he will eventually follow in his father's footsteps while seeking a statewide or possibly a national office,
Politico reports.
His dad was governor of Florida from 1999-2007, and all indications are that Jeb Bush wants to be the Republican nominee for 2016. And, according to George P., his father will make that decision "very shortly"
— presumably right after the midterm elections.
George P., Jeb Bush's oldest son, is not going to give away family secrets, but he does admit that his father is weighing up his White House ambitions against the sacrifices he will have to make.
They include his very private wife, Columba, having to live in the spotlight, putting his lucrative private equity and consulting firm to the side, and dedicating possibly another 10 years of his life to politics instead of to his family and his business concerns.
"I think he's assessing in his heart of hearts whether or not he can offer something to the Republican ticket," George P. told Politico. "He's got a great business, and he'd have to give that up as well. So there's all kinds of considerations there, not to be taken lightly, and one that we'll hear, I think, a final conclusion on very, very shortly.
"As we're learning, there's probably going to be 12 candidates in this process. And whether or not he's willing to put forth not only two years if he is going to run, but potentially serving eight years, two terms of four years, thereafter. So it's more than just making an assessment based on Iowa, New Hampshire."
George P., meanwhile, is trying to make his own path in the family business, namely politics, despite having extremely big shoes to fill. Apart from his dad, his uncle, is former President George W. Bush, and his grandfather is former President George H.W. Bush.
But George P. is already making great strides partially due to the fact that he has a Mexican-born mother, is fluent in Spanish, and co-founded the Hispanic Republicans of Texas in 2009 to help elect Hispanic Republicans to office.
In fact, several potential presidential rivals to his father have sought out his advice on spreading the GOP message to the Latino population, which overwhelmingly supported President Barack Obama in 2012, the political news website says.
Although he's only a land commissioner candidate, the illustrious names who have come calling include Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and three governors — Rick Perry of Texas, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana.
"Several of these candidates have asked for my advice on how as a party we can do better as it relates to Hispanic inclusion in our party, and I've been a willing voice on that discussion, but wherever possible, learned from them," said George P., an attorney.
George P. had, in fact, been so reluctant to speak about his father possibly running for the White House that he strangely declined to endorse his 61-year-old dad for president during the recent Texas Tribune Festival.
But, realizing his mistake, he now tells Politico, "I would obviously vote for him and support him, and if he asked for my support in any way, I would gladly do it."
And he's even willing to proudly state that his dad is better than all the other potential candidates. "He's unique in that he's been a successful conservative governor, executive, where the buck stops with him as opposed to somebody in D.C."
But before helping his father becomes commander in chief, George P. first has his own future to plan, and like his dad, he's taking it one step at a time, and not giving anything away until the time comes.
"The way I evaluate politics, the way I evaluate a business transaction or a project, is that you are evaluated based on the success of what you are about to undertake," he told Politico. "Right now, I've offered my services in this particular role. I'll be evaluated in four years. I'll take it from there."
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.