Jeb Bush officially jumped into an already crowded presidential race on Monday, becoming the 11th Republican to seek the party’s 2016 nomination.
“Our country’s on a very bad course,” the former Florida governor told the crowd. “The questions is: What are we going to do about it? The question for me is: What am I going to do about it? And I’ve decided I’m a candidate for President of the United States of America.”
Following a lengthy exploration for his presidential bid, Bush made his formal announcement at Miami Dade College, a university known for its diversity, signaling inclusiveness as a major motif in his 2016 campaign.
The son and brother of two former presidents, Bush spent much of his announcement highlighting his successes as a two-term governor of Florida, where he claims to have ushered in employment increases and economic growth.
Bush wasted no time going after his democratic opposition, saying, “The party now in the White house is planning a no-suspense primary for a no-change election.”
“The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next,” he said.
Bush positioned himself as an outsider, vowing to “take Washington — the static capital of this dynamic country — out of the business of causing problems.”
Bush also presented himself as the answer to a problem plaguing the Republican Party in recent elections: connecting with minority voters.
“I will campaign as I would serve,” Bush told the crowd, “going everywhere, speaking to everyone, keeping my word, facing the issues without flinching, and staying true to what I believe.”
Should Bush win the race, his wife, Columba, a Mexican native, would become the first Hispanic first lady in history.
Being the third member of his family to seek the presidency has been a double-edged sword for Bush. While he enjoys widespread name recognition, he’s also often associated with mistakes made by his father and brother. His official campaign logo, which simply reads, “Jeb!” is conspicuously absent his last name.
Addressing concerns of dynastic entitlement by his critics, Bush said, “It’s nobody’s turn. It’s everybody’s test. And it’s wide open — exactly as a contest for president should be.”