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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) announced Tuesday that he will
not seek the seat of retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R). Bush, the brother of the current president and the son of the 41st
commander in chief, was thought to be perhaps the one GOP candidate who could
clear the primary field for the open seat.
“While the opportunity to serve my state and country during these
turbulent and dynamic times is compelling, now is not the right time to return
to elected office,” Bush said in a statement.
The former governor added that he hopes to play a “constructive
role” in GOP politics in the “coming months and years.”
“We must rebuild the party by focusing on the common purposes and
core conservative principles that unite us all — limited government, a strong
national defense and safe homeland and the protection of liberty tempered by
personal responsibility,” Bush said.
He also praised President-elect Obama and called on members of
both parties to come together.
“We must raise the level of debate to reflect the American
people’s desire for change and bipartisanship, embodied by November’s historic
election,” he said. “President-elect Obama ran a tremendous campaign and I am
proud to call him my president. I am confident Republicans will find productive
ways to work together with the new administration to advance reforms both sides
of the aisle can support.”
Bush, a popular two-term governor, was considered by political
observers to be the favorite to succeed Martinez. His father, former President
George H.W. Bush, said Sunday that he would like to see him as senator or even
as president.
Jeb Bush said that he will continue working on his “greatest
calling,” education reform. He is the founder of the education nonprofit group
Foundation for Florida’s Future.
“Securing our nation’s economic future starts with providing a
world-class education to every single American student — building a system that
lessens our populace’s dependence on government,” he stated.
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