Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) has turned his attention to Iowa, where the first-in-the-nation caucuses will kick off presidential election voting next year.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Bush has called Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann about campaigning in the state.
“I just got off the phone with Jeb Bush,” Kaufmann said. “I can certainly tell you that he’s coming to Iowa to campaign and play in the caucus.”
Earlier this month, Kaufmann told The Wall Street Journal he’d heard from nearly every GOP contender about gearing up for the caucuses except for Bush.
Some GOP strategists have speculated that the former Florida governor might skip the state and focus his efforts instead on another primary down the line, perhaps in New Hampshire, where the early voting electorate can be more favorable to establishment candidates.
Bush will not be joining a host of other GOP contenders in Iowa this weekend for the cattle call of contenders at the Iowa Freedom Summit.
That lineup includes potential candidates like Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
But Kaufmann’s comments indicate Bush is beginning to plot his early-state strategy, should he run, and that he might look to make an early statement in Iowa.
“I got the distinct impression that, if he jumps into this race officially … there’s going to be no skipping Iowa for him, I can assure you,” Kaufmann added. “He was very strong in his comments about Iowa and his memories. We talked a lot about his memories when he was campaigning out here.
January 21, 2015, 04:37 pm
