In a shocking turn of events this weekend—actually, not all that shocking if you’ve been paying attention—Jeb Bush announced the suspension of his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. This is big news for a number of reasons: a) Jeb Bush was the establishment candidate, b) he spent $130 million on his failed bid and c) maybe our country is not controlled by an oligarchy after all.
In this year’s high-drama election cycle, success was never a guarantee for any candidate, but surely Jeb Bush had cause to be confident. He had executive-branch experience, unlike much of the field, and he is the definition of well-pedigreed. Even the controversial presidency of his older brother was long enough gone that people could move on, worried about the new set of problems facing America.
Despite everything Jeb had going for him, he failed to gain traction. Not only did he have to deal with the rogue Trump element and firebrands like Rubio and Cruz, Republican voters were once again turning away from “the establishment” after GOP headquarters had seemingly gotten the Tea Party wing under control. Exciting new strategies like “immigration reform” that once seemed key to growing the party and getting the Latino vote proved anathema to working-class white voters who had yet to see improvements in employment and take-home pay following the recession.
What truly makes Bush’s defeat astonishing is the amount of money he and his super PAC’s had in the bank. The Jeb Bush campaign spent $130 million on a bid that not only ultimately failed but also had no tangible success at any point in time. According to an analysis by the New York Times, Jeb spent $84 million dollars on positive advertising, which was supposed to sell the younger Bush to the American people. No one wanted to buy it. Sure, in a crowded field, candidates need more money to stand out, but despite Jeb’s deep pockets, he could not compete with the seemingly free publicity that Trump and Cruz could generate just by saying provocative stuff on television.
I do find some comfort in the defeat of Jeb Bush, though. Our government is meant to be run for the people and by the people, but it is easy to imagine that Washington is managed by forces beyond our control. In this election, we had to contend with demagoguery (Trump), Wall Street (Clinton) and the Bush family (Jeb). Obviously family connections and money still play a role in politics, but I gain a little bit of satisfaction in knowing that the country could say, “Hey, we don’t need a third Bush in thirty years,” and be heard.
As we approach Super Tuesday, I remind you all to register to vote. It is easy to feel that your vote does not matter—and I guess statistically it doesn’t—but the act of voting is an important part of our national life. And as always, be sure to keep reposting election thinkpieces on Facebook; that way, you know you’ve at least done something.