Not another Bush, say conservative activists at CPAC

OXON HILL, Md. - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has been raising money and drawing buzz as the perceived favorite of the Republican establishment for the 2016 presidential nomination.

But to many conservative activists who gathered this week near Washington, Bush was - another Bush. And that wasn't a good thing.

"I'm not voting for another Bush," said Mallory Rascher, 29, a courthouse worker from Virginia, who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference.

"I respect both the Bushes, but it's time for someone else to run the country," said Rich Julason, a retiree from Glen Mills, Pa.

Hours before Bush's appearance at the conference Friday, talk radio host Laura Ingraham drew a parallel between Bush and a Democratic political dynasty: "Why don't we just call it quits, and Jeb and Hillary [Clinton] can run on the same ticket?"

After two presidencies, "Bush fatigue is real," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "The party's big donors and officeholders seem to prefer Bush by a wide margin, but the grassroots don't."

Aversion to a third Bush is part of the reason, but so are "the obvious politics," Sabato said. "Democrats can simply say, if you want another costly Mideast war plus a recession, vote for Jeb; he'll do the same as his father and brother."

When Fox News host Sean Hannity asked conference attendees Friday whom they favored in 2016, Bush's name was loudly booed. (Also booed: Chris Christie.)

By the time Bush spoke Friday afternoon at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center, more backers wearing "Jeb" stickers had appeared, and he met with applause.

But the former governor still drew some boos during a 20-minute question-and-answer session led by Hannity, who asked him to explain his positions on immigration and the Common Core educational standards - topics where conservatives have said he's too moderate.

Describing himself as a "reform-minded conservative," Bush said: "There is no plan to deport 11 million people. We should give them a path to legal status, where they work, where they don't receive government benefits, where they don't break the law, where they learn English, and where they make a contribution to our society."

Bush, who also was asked about his support for giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants and letting them pay in-state tuition, said immigration did not reduce opportunities for those already in the country.

"What we ought to be focused on is growing the economic pie," he said. "It's not a zero-sum game."

Asked about his support for the Common Core educational standards - anathema to some conservatives - Bush said the standards were not a federal takeover.

But he also emphasized other aspects of his education record in Florida, including support for school-choice policies and efforts to limit affirmative action.

As he argued that he could win the support of Latinos and others not traditionally part of the GOP base, Bush directly appealed to his foes in the crowd.

"I'm marking that down as neutral," he said when boos arose. "And I want to be your second choice if I decide to go beyond this."

Bush supporters said he was being targeted for reasons unrelated to his qualifications. "A lot of the criticism comes from, he's the front-runner," said Colin Sapko, 18, a George Mason University student and one of many College Republicans at the conference. He said he liked Bush's record in Florida, including on taxes and education.

But doubters remained. "He did a good job, but he's a very polished politician," said John Shifflett, a police officer from Louisville. "I don't know if he's as conservative as he spoke today." Shifflett leans toward Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Walker, a popular figure at the conference, met with hearty applause and chants of "Run, Scott, run!" as he presented himself Thursday as a conservative warrior who had confronted Wisconsin's unions.

On Friday, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul had a contingent of supporters - many young - wearing "Stand with Rand" T-shirts as he delivered a small-government message, including limits on foreign aid. "Not one penny more to these haters of America," he said.

The threat of what many called "radical Islam" was a flash point of discussion. "How much longer before the horrors we witnessed in Paris . . . come to the supposedly gun-free zone of the Mall of America?" asked Wayne LaPierre, president of the National Rifle Association, after warning of the "Islamic State carving a bloody trail that leads to our doorstep."

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum called for 10,000 boots on the ground and "serious" airstrikes against the Islamic State. "If ISIS wants to establish a seventh century caliphate, let's oblige them by bombing them back to the seventh century," he said.

Like Bush, Christie wasn't a crowd favorite - though some people said they liked the New Jersey governor's combative style. Forced to choose between Bush and Christie, those who picked Christie cited his demeanor.

"He's bold. I love that," said Jocelyne Flores, 19, a Baylor University student. But she said she favors Walker, who she sees as "the new Reagan."