Both Bush presidents rally for struggling Jeb – but even an ultra-loyalist says he fears hopes of a revival is 'delusional'
- Two-day rally at Houston features President George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush
- Rally is attempt to reassure major donors and fund-raisers that the former Florida governor is in the presidential campaign to stay
- But privately, donors say the campaign appears to be on life-support
- See full coverage of Jeb Bush's presidential bid
Not one but two Bush presidents flanked Jeb Bush at a Houston hotel on Sunday night as the former Florida governor tried to reassure major campaign donors that his presidential campaign will succeed - a message not everyone is buying.
Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, and brother, George W. Bush attended the two-day event that included a barbecue dinner and visits with former First Lady Barbara Bush.
But in the hallways outside the private event rooms at the Hilton Americas hotel, some major supporters of Jeb Bush's campaign said there is a sense of gloom about the effort, according to Politico.
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Former Republican presidential front-runner Jeb Bush onstage at the Hilton Americas hotel in Houston, where he was joined by his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and his brother, former President George W. Bush
Bush is shown here at a campaign rally in Virginia Beach on Friday
'We all read the same newspapers and look at the same polls and it’s tough right now. There are a lot of people we thought would have written checks who aren’t on board yet,' one donor said.
Bush has been in a freee-fall in the polls for months, ever since billionaire businessman Donald Trump barged into the Republican field in mid-June and took over the front-runner spot in late July.
Bush is now in fourth or fifth place in most national polls, prompting him to cut campaign staff and salaries and focus his time and resources on a single state, New Hampshire, instead of a national strategy.
The most recent average of major, national polls as compiled by Real Clear Politics has Bush in fifth place with 7.2 percent, behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 7.8 percent, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at 9.2 percent, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 21.4 percent and Trump at 27.2 percent.
Some supporters privately observed that the Bush family now appears to be out of the mainstream of today's Republican party, noting the rise of outsider candidates such as Trump.
Such a strong anti-establishment mood among primary voters spells doom for Bush, given the dynastic nature of his family name and the still-strong influence of the tea party.
From left, former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush pose with Jeb in Maine in 2009
Billionaire businessman Donald Trump upended the Republican presidential contest this summer, taking over the top spot in the polls from Bush in late July
'I look at this party now, and I hardly recognize it,' said another donor. 'I never would have thought there would be so much mistrust of the establishment that we would prefer candidates who are angry over those who can actually lead.'
Other longtime Bush supporters are more confident that the party will eventually come to reason and back his candidacy once Trump and Carson fade in the polls. But even those supporters are wary.
'I don't know, maybe I'm delusional,' said Will Weatherford, a former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Weatherford pointed to Bush's campaign war chest, noting that his political action committee raised more than $100 million earlier this year before he even entered the race.
'If he's an underdog, we'll take that,' he said.
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