The Simple Reason Why Republican Voters Aren't Settling for Jeb Bush
US President George W. Bush (R) reaches out to shake hands with his brother Florida Governor Jeb Bush (L) shortly after Air Force One arrived at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 09 May 2006.
PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty ImagesOn the right, the return of Mitt Romney—which I prefer to call the Romneyssiance—has sparked fresh new debates about why Jeb Bush was ever the great 2016 GOP hope. Why does he inspire such skepticism, from the right and the center-right, when his brother didn't? In a column for The Week, Matt Lewis argues that "George W. got away with his apostasy because he had a Texas swagger and twang, no real conservative opponents, and a much less emboldened base," while Jeb Bush is more "cosmopolitan" and alienating.
In a response, RedState's Erick Erickson argues that conservatives preferred Jeb but "settled" for George, because he had two terms as governor of Texas to Jeb's half-term as governor of Florida. "George W. Bush was considered the conservative in the field in 2000 compared to McCain," adds Erickson.