Chalk up another point for Jeb Bush in the endorsement game: Rep. Patrick McHenry of the 10th congressional district is supporting the former Florida governor for President. McHenry’s affiliation with the Bushes goes back a long way. Back in 2000, he was hired by none other than Karl Rove to be National Coalition Director for the Bush campaign.
Bush’s establishment support is in contrast to his low numbers right now in the Republican primary. Although he’s assuredly one of the handful of “serious” candidates out there, the disparity between his grassroots support and the numbers he’s racking up in the endorsement game is quite wide. But as an indicator of who stands the best chance of being nominated, establishment support is probably the strongest one.
McHenry joins Walter Jones as a member of our congressional delegation who has made an official endorsement in the presidential contest, but Jones is for Rand Paul. The three Democrats (Butterfield, Price, and Adams) are probably in the Hillary camp. No endorsement from Renee Ellmers yet but I think she likes Bush. Mark Walker is a former pastor and I wonder if he feels a kinship with Mike Huckabee. Mark Meadows is a Ted Cruz endorsement waiting to happen. Foxx, Rouzer, Hudson, Pittenger, and Holding are question marks – but I don’t think they’re about to endorse Trump.
Speaking of Trump, Senator Richard Burr says he’s “delighted” by the passion he’s brought to the race. The DSCC jumped all over him for that. Hey, didn’t anyone tell them that Trump leads Hillary by 3 here right now? If anything, supporting Hillary Clinton might be a bigger liability in North Carolina – at least at this point.
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
For the life of me I cannot understand why anybody would want another Bush administration.
I’ll give you one better than that Nortley. Drive through the 10th Congressional District. Pay strict attention to the counties (Catawba, Burke, Caldwell) that have been predominantly represented the longest by McHenry. Look at the closed factories, the empty buildings, the unemployment rates. Ask yourself, “how can a district with so much poverty, that has lost so much revenue and opportunity, continue to choose a Republican to represent it?” But they do and they will time and time again.
“The last thing we need is another Bush in the White House,” Trump stated. Each Latino who has been labeled an “anchor baby” would agree. In contrast, most people over age 65 wouldn’t agree with the current Republican front-runner’s statement, until they learn that Big Brother Bush wants to “phase out” Medicare.
You mean a larger fracture than Trump is already causing? Hard to imagine, but then so is this entire campaign so far.
The disparity between Jeb’s endorsements and grassroots support is yet another indicator of how much the Republican Party’s base absolutely despises its leadership. If Jeb locks down the nomination through changing the rules (as Romney did in 2012), not only will he lose the general, but it’s my belief that it’ll cause the Republican Party to fracture altogether.