Former Florida governor Jeb Bush on Tuesday became the first Republican presidential hopeful to make his 2016 plans official, and he used Twitter to do it.
Bush tweeted at 10am EST on Tuesday that he “will actively explore the possibility of running” for president, with a link to a Facebook post elaborating on his plans.
I am excited to announce I will actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States: https://t.co/luY4lCF2cA.
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) December 16, 2014
“As a result of [Thanksgiving weekend] conversations and thoughtful consideration of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have decided to actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States,” Bush wrote on his Facebook page.
While he has not formally set up a campaign apparatus, he will launch a political action committee (PAC) in January to “facilitate conversations with citizens across America to discuss the most critical challenges facing our exceptional nation.”
Bush, who served as the 43rd governor of Florida between 1999 and 2007, is the younger brother of former president George W. Bush. If elected to the presidency, he would be the third Bush to serve in that office, after his brother and their father, George H.W. Bush.
Presidential contenders have not usually announced their candidacies on Twitter. Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is believed to be the first to have done so on May 11, 2011.
Today I am announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. You can watch my announcement here. http://bit.ly/kEbh7d
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) May 11, 2011
Congrats, Jeb Bush!
Photo via The World Affairs Council/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
