Jeb Bush | |
---|---|
43rd Governor of Florida | |
In office January 5, 1999 – January 2, 2007 |
|
Lieutenant |
Frank Brogan Toni Jennings |
Preceded by | Buddy MacKay |
Succeeded by | Charlie Crist |
Secretary of Commerce of Florida | |
In office January 6, 1987 – September 9, 1988 |
|
Governor | Bob Martinez |
Preceded by | Wayne Mixson |
Succeeded by | Bill Sutton |
Personal details | |
Born |
John Ellis Bush February 11, 1953 Midland, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Columba Gallo (m. 1974) |
Relations | See Bush family |
Children |
|
Parents | |
Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
Signature |
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush Sr. (born February 11, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.
Bush, who grew up in Houston, is the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, and a younger brother of former President George W. Bush. He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and attended the University of Texas, where he earned a degree in Latin American affairs. In 1980, he moved to Florida and pursued a career in real estate development, and in 1986 became Florida's Secretary of Commerce until 1988. At that time, he joined his father's successful campaign for the Presidency.
In 1994, Bush made his first run for office, losing the election for governor by less than two percentage points to the incumbent, Lawton Chiles. Bush ran again in 1998 and defeated Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay with 55 percent of the vote. He ran for reelection in 2002, defeating Bill McBride and winning with 56 percent, to become Florida's first two-term Republican governor. During his eight years as governor, Bush pushed an ambitious Everglades conservation plan, supported caps for medical malpractice litigation, launched a Medicaid privatization pilot program, and instituted reforms to the state education system, including the issuance of vouchers and promoting school choice.