Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday took another step closer to
announcing a bid for the presidency in 2016, but his stances on a number of policy issues, most notably immigration, could prove a difficult to sell to conservative primary voters.
At the same time, as the husband of a Mexican-American woman and a proponent of comprehensive immigration reform, Bush could have mass appeal among Hispanic voters who have not traditionally backed the GOP,
Politico reported.
"I think Jeb would be a game-changer with Hispanics," Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist in Florida, told Politico. "You see, Jeb is not only completely bilingual, he is bicultural … He has both the cultural sensitivity and a strong lifelong record on issues affecting Hispanics."
Bush, who once described
illegal immigration as "an act of love," has said he does not believe that his stance on the issue would be a political liability.
"You gotta protect the borders, enforce the law, be respectful of the rule of law, and at the same time, be able to encourage young, aspirational people to come to our country. It's a win-win," Bush told a Florida TV station Tuesday, according to Politico. "I have no problems advancing that idea."
While other potential GOP presidential candidates have adopted a more harsh tone on illegal immigration that may resonate more with the conservative base, the ultimate GOP nominee will need to court Hispanics in a general election, Politico said.
"At the end of the day, some single-issue voters will never vote for him because he doesn't espouse the 'round them up and deport them all' position," Navarro told Politico.
"But a critical mass of voters will look at the complete package of positions, experience and accomplishments."
Meanwhile,
Bush's moderate position on other campaign issues will also likely draw criticism from conservatives, Politico reported.
His support for the Common Core has been a bone of contention among those who oppose the involvement of the federal government in education. He could also be criticized for his positions on taxes and spending, as well as Obamacare.
"It's definitely much more than Common Core," Noah Wall, grassroots director at FreedomWorks, told Politico. "The whole idea that Jeb Bush will just walk away with this really doesn't take into account the need for the Republican Party to nominate a solid conservative."
Conservative activists have challenged Bush over a position he took in 2011, when he refused to rule out tax increases in exchange for deeper spending cuts. Others are critical of his opposition to the strategy of defunding Obamacare. He said he would repeal the law and replace it with a better alternative.
In a fundraising email Tuesday, Shaun McCutcheon, chairman of the Conservative Action Fund, called him "another establishment, compromising Republican."
"Will you support a nominee who supports amnesty for illegal immigrants, the Washington takeover of our educational system [known as Common Core], and is already talking about raising taxes?" he wrote, according to Politico.
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