Jeb Bush Eyes Senate Seat

Jeb Bush meets the Pope in April 2005.
Jeb Bush meets the Pope in April 2005. (photo: CNS/L'Osservatore Romano)

Republican Saxby Chambliss won yesterday’s U.S. Senate run-off election in Georgia, denying the Democratic Party an opportunity of securing a 60-seat Senate “supermajority.”

But any additional Republican losses in 2010 could tip the Senate into a filibuster-proof Democratic chamber that would have free rein to pass anti-life legislation such as the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

That’s one of the reasons the Daily Blog is highlighting reports that Jeb Bush is considering a run for the Senate seat currently held by Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez.

The other reason for drawing this to our readers’ attention: The president’s younger brother is a Catholic convert.

Jeb Bush, who served as Florida’s governor for eight years before stepping down in 2007, told Politico by e-mail Tuesday night that “I am considering” a Senate run. But another source close to Bush told Politico that no final decision is expected before next year.

“A source close to Bush said he’ll be thoughtful and methodical about the decision-making process. He will consider the impact a race would have on his family and his business and whether or not the U.S. Senate is the best forum from which to continue his advocacy for issues such as education, immigration and GOP solutions to health care reform,” Politico reported.

“In an interview with Politico immediately after November’s election, the former governor said the Republican Party should take four primary steps to regain favor with voters: Show no tolerance for corruption, practice what it preaches about limiting the scope of government (‘There should not be such a thing as a Big Government Republican’), stand for working families and small business, and embrace reform,” the Politico article continued.

“Bush said conservatives should ‘do the math of the new demographics of the United States,’ explaining that the Republican Party ‘can’t be anti-Hispanic, anti-young person — anti many things — and be surprised when we don’t win elections.’”

— Tom McFeely