John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.
Bush is the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, a brother of former President George W. Bush, and grandson of the late Senator Prescott Sheldon Bush. He grew up in Houston, Texas. He graduated from the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and attended the University of Texas, where he earned a degree in Latin American affairs. Following his father's successful run for Vice President in 1980, he moved to Florida and pursued a career in real estate development. In 1986, Bush was named Florida's Secretary of Commerce, a position he held until his resignation in 1988 to help his father's successful campaign for the Presidency.
In 1994, Bush made his first run for office, losing the election for governor by less than two percentage points to the incumbent Lawton Chiles. Bush ran again in 1998 and defeated Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay with 55 percent of the vote. He ran for reelection in 2002 and won with 56 percent to become Florida's first two-term Republican governor. During his eight years as governor, Bush was credited with initiating environmental improvements, such as conservation in the Everglades, supporting caps for medical malpractice litigation, moving Medicaid recipients to private systems, and instituting reforms to the state education system, including the issuance of vouchers and promoting school choice.
Governor Bush believes in reducing the size and scope of the federal government and returning power to the states. He opposes the Affordable Care Act and has advocated for changes to Social Security and other entitlement programs. He does, however, support Common Core curriculum, citing a need for high, competitive standards.
Gov. Bush opposes the Nuclear Deal made with Iran. He has supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, saying "This is a great deal for America. It would strengthen our ties to our allies throughout the Pacific region..." He believes in multi-lateralism, but has expressed the will to act unilaterally if necessary.
Governor Bush has come out in support of increased attacks on ISIS, both through airstrikes, drone attacks, and the construction of a coalition of Sunni tribes and the Kurds, but has not endorsed a full scale invasion to stabilize the region. He supports increasing the strength of the US Military.
Governor Bush supports a more lenient immigration policy, claiming that it is logistically impossible to deport all eleven million or more illegal immigrants in the United States. He supports a path toward legal status for those already here, but does support increased border security.
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