Friends of Jeb Bush say the former Florida governor is starting to mull a run for president in 2016, according to the The New York Times.
The newspaper says the Republican – whose father and brother were both president – is “weighing financial and family considerations.”
Those considerations include the length of time he’s spent in office, how the recession hurt his wealth and whether Republicans are ready to nominate another Bush.
“It continues to intrigue him, given how much he has to share with the country,” Al Cardenas, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, said of Bush.
Earlier this week, his son, Jeb Bush Jr., seemed to indicate that Bush is open to a campaign by saying in a CNN interview, “I certainly hope so,” when asked if his father will run.
It’s believed that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio – who considers Bush to be a mentor and is thought to have national ambitions– would likely not embark on a campaign for president if Bush decided to run.
The newspaper reported that when Rubio held a post-election strategy session with advisers to discuss his political future last week, “the question of Mr. Bush, a mentor, hung over the room.”
Earlier this month, a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling indicated that Bush and Rubio are the early presidential favorites among Florida Republicans. In that poll of numerous potential Republican presidential candidates, Bush is preferred by 28 percent and Rubio is favored by 22.