Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush may have signaled his interest in running for President in 2016 but he’s clearly not following exactly in his father’s footsteps. Bush has refused to sign a pledge promising not to raise taxes, despite earlier reports that indicated he might.
Spokeswoman Kristy Campbell made Bush’s position clear this week, saying in a statement, “If Governor Bush decides to move forward, he will not sign any pledges circulated by lobbying groups.”
If that sounds like the Bush camp is being direct without naming names, it is. Bush was responding to a challenge from Grover Norquist, the founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, to sign the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” With the pledge, which has made the rounds since 1986, “candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases.”
Since 2012, Bush has refused to sign the pledge, saying, “I don’t believe you outsource your principles and convictions to people. I respect Grover’s political involvement. He has every right to do it, but I never signed any pledge.”
Norquist had assumed that might change, noting that “Right now everyone who is thinking of running has signed it in his present capacity or in a previous race, with the exception of Jeb Bush.” (Norquist later clarified that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has not yet signed the pledge but believes that he will.)
Bush’s refusal to sign could hurt him in the upcoming election, according to Norquist. Norquist went on to throw a bit of shade at Bush via twitter, tweeting:
“If my Dad threw away a perfectly good presidency I would honor him by learning to avoid that mistake.”
Norquist is, of course, referring to the infamous line uttered by former President George H. W. Bush in 1988. While accepting the Republican nomination for President at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, then Vice President Bush dramatically proclaimed, “Read my lips: no new taxes.” He would go on to easily beat Democratic challenger Michael Dukakis in 1988 but falter against challenger Bill Clinton in 1992. In his first term, in order to combat a rising deficit, Bush signed a compromise bill that resulted in higher taxes. Taxes would become a central theme of the next presidential election and Bush would not be re-elected.
Jeb Bush’s camp, however, believes that the former Governor’s record speaks for itself. Campbell noted that, as Governor, Bush cut taxes every year, adding, “He does not support raising taxes and believes cutting taxes and reforming the tax code will lead to greater economic growth and more prosperity for Americans.”
Will Bush’s record be enough to win support without signing the pledge? It depends on who you talk to. The pledge was once considered a necessary evil on the path to D.C. but over the past few years, a number of high profile politicians have refused to sign, signaling that perhaps the pledge doesn’t carry the clout it once did.
Former President H.W. Bush, not surprisingly, isn’t a fan of the pledge, claiming that the “rigidity” of the pledge is bad for the country. “Circumstances change,” he said, “and you can’t be wedded to some formula by Grover Norquist. It’s — who the hell is Grover Norquist, anyway?”
For now, at least, Norquist is the man with the megaphone – and it’s clear that he won’t let up on Jeb Bush in a likely run for the presidency. Despite not signing the pledge, most early GOP polling data puts Bush at or near the top of potential presidential nominees.