After much speculation and recent hints, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced Tuesday that he’s officially decided to “actively explore” a presidential run in 2016.
Bush made the announcement in a message posted to his Facebook and Twitter pages, explaining that he came to the decision after spending time with family over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“We shared good food and watched a whole lot of football. We also talked about the future of our nation,” he wrote. “As a result of these conversations and thoughtful consideration of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have decided to actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States.”
While still early on in the process, political observers view the announcement as significant because the move by Bush also establishes a leadership PAC that he said is intended to “help me facilitate conversations with citizens across America to discuss the most critical challenges facing our exceptional nation.”
Bush’s early maneuvering gives him a head start in securing the necessary staff, donors and big-name support needed if he decides to officially thrown his hat into the presidential ring.
At this point, the 2016 GOP primary looks to be the most wide-open race in a long time, with a recent Monmouth University poll of the likely Republican field showing no candidate getting more than 10 percent of the vote.
“In the coming months, I hope to visit with many of you and have a conversation about restoring the promise of America,” Bush said.
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