On Monday, former Florida Governor, Jeb Bush announced he would run for president. In an already crowded race, Jeb quickly set himself apart from fellow contenders the moment he took the stage at Miami-Dade College sporting a business casual look.
In the past, it has been customary for candidates to forgo a suit and tie once they hit the campaign trail. It has also been customary for the words Republican and GOP to be synonymous with old white men in suits. Not anymore, Jeb broke the mold and the stereotype on Monday by showing up to his own announcement in business casual attire.
Before a packed auditorium in Miami, Jeb announced, “I am a candidate for president of the United States.” Cheers erupted of seismic proportion accompanied by a standing ovation. While some may bemoan the thought of another Bush, the fact is, he isn’t another Bush. Jeb’s record speaks volumes about his leadership and ability to get things done.
During his time as governor, Jeb created 1.3 million new jobs, passed eight balanced budgets and cut taxes eight years in a row. Under Jeb’s watch, Florida had a triple A credit rating and was number one in job creation. However, in 2016, Jeb will have to run on more than his record as Florida’s beloved governor.
While Jeb’s accolades and his gubernatorial legacy speak volumes, it is important to keep in mind that nearly three-quarters of Florida’s 12.9 million currently registered voters have never even seen Jeb’s name on a ballot. Part of this is due to Florida’s transient population as well as low voter turnout over the past 13 years. Couple this with the fact Jeb has not been a candidate in over a decade, some may argue, he has his work cut out for him when it comes to reintroducing himself to Florida voters. I beg to differ.
Jeb’s get down to business attitude and get America moving again theme was apparent not only from his speech but also his wardrobe choice. Jeb made history on Monday as the first politician to announce his candidacy wearing only sleeves, no jacket, and no tie. As the eleventh (yes, you read that right) candidate to announce he was running for president in 2016, Jeb had to do something to prove he was fresher than his counterparts and not the same Bush we’d seen in previous years. It’s safe to say this subtle choice in clothing was the perfect way to say it all without saying a thing.
From his speech to his attire, it was clear, Jeb is ready to run and is willing to put in the hard work to America the superpower it once was. Over the next 17 months, Jeb will have to put his money where his mouth is and show voters why he’s the man for the job and the rest of the candidates can go home.
