Jeb Bush is coming out swinging on the 2016 campaign trail by declaring his goal of restoring the U.S. economy and combating income inequality, reports TIME. Though Bush has yet to officially declare his presidential candidacy, and offered little details in his Detroit speech, he did insist that his plan for reinvigorating the economy and the middle class would be rooted in conservative values. The GOP heavyweight, a former two-term governor of Florida and member of the Bush political dynasty, is advocating less federal government and more states’ rights in the quest to jump-start the weak economy.
By jumping in early and hitting the economy as a key issue, Bush is making strong strategic moves against his fellow Republican opponents. While most Americans are concerned with eroding real wages, increasing income inequality, and an economy that seems stuck in a malaise, other Republicans are not addressing the issue. Kentucky senator Rand Paul, another likely 2016 contender, has erred considerably by declaring that individuals should have more freedom in deciding whether or not they, or their children, receive vaccinations. According to The Economist, Paul has struggled to balance his libertarian support for personal freedom while asserting his belief in the benefits of modern vaccines. In light of the current measles outbreak, Paul’s hesitancy to support mandatory vaccinations will likely cost him the support of many moderates and independents.
Meanwhile, possible 2016 candidate Marco Rubio, the Florida senator who is a political opponent of both Bush and Paul, is stuck on Cuba. NPR explains that Rubio, whose father emigrated from Cuba in the 1950s, is doubling down on his opposition to the Obama administration’s re-opening of diplomatic relations with the communist island nation. Though few Republicans have much sympathy for communism, Rubio’s continued focus on Cuba, which has already put him at odds with Rand Paul, means he is missing the campaign trail boat and will be stuck behind the pack.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who has been as aggressive as Bush in preparing his 2016 candidacy, is already dead in the water after dissing Beyonce and Jay-Z in his new book, God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy, and declaring that homosexuality was as voluntary as choosing to use swear words and drink alcohol. Despite being the third-place Republican in the 2008 primaries, Huckabee is likely to fade quickly in ’16.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who is siding with Rand Paul on the vaccination issue, is bouncing around like a ping-pong ball in terms of political loyalties. From being chummy with Obama after Hurricane Sandy to wanting mandatory quarantines for medical personnel returning from west Africa during the Ebola outbreak, plus Bridgegate, Christie has shown himself to be an upredictable liability.
By hitting the economy first and hitting it hard, Bush is increasing his lead against other Republicans who are stuck on side issues. Love him or hate him, you’ve got to admit that Bush’s opening chess moves are solid.
