Saturday, 21 April 2012

Jeb Bush: “I’d consider” the vice presidential job

 Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has actively pushed the Republican Party to court Latino voters, said Friday that if offered the vice presidency he might accept.
The brother of George W. Bush and son of George H.W. Bush, said he doesn’t think he’d be asked but would consider it if he did.
Bush, who is popular in Florida, told the conservative website Newsmax that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is "probably the best" choice to share the ticket with Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. Bush said he hopes the freshman senator is offered the No. 2 slot and accepts it. Rubio has said repeatedly that he isn't interested in leaving the Senate.
“Well I’d consider it, but I doubt I’ll get a call, and I don’t know if it’s the right thing for me to do,” he told Newsmax. “I didn’t run for president for a similar kind of reason, so I’m all in to try to help him get elected.”
If chosen, Bush, who's wife is of Mexican origin, could help Romney in a critical swing state.
He’s also popular with Conservative Latinos. He has often has stressed the importance of more moderation in the rhetoric in the GOP primary race, particularly as it pertains to immigration and how Latino voters perceive attitudes towards Latinos. Romney, whom he endorsed last month, has called for a hard line on immigration.


Rubio has repeatedly said he would not accept a vice presidential job if offered by Romney. The latest comments came Thursday in Washington.


"If in four, five, six, seven years from now, if I do a good job as vice president — I’m sorry, as senator — I’ll have the chance to do all sorts of things," he said, in a slip that was met with laughter from the audience at a televised event hosted by National Journal.


Bush told Newsmax that his short list of top-tier presidential candidates include Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.

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