Former First Lady Barbara Bush has cut a political ad to benefit the flagging presidential campaign of her son, Jeb Bush.
The former Florida governor had tried to distance himself from his famous family during the early stages of the presidential campaign and told crowds, “I’m my own man.” But in the face of a campaign that has so far failed to take off, he has more recently relied on his parents and brother, President George W. Bush, for assistance raising money to keep his campaign moving.
With less than two weeks to go until the Iowa caucus, Bush’s campaign has enlisted the governor’s mother in his newest ad.
“Jeb has been a very good father, a wonderful son, a hard worker, his heart is big,” Barbara Bush says in the ad. “When push comes to shove, people are going to realize Jeb has real solutions rather than talking about how popular they are or how great they are. He’s doing it because he sees a huge need and it’s not being filled by anybody.”
The campaign also distributed a mailer including a “hand-written” letter from the former first lady.
“Dear friend, I am writing to urge you to vote and to vote for Jeb Bush,” Barbara Bush wrote. “People ask me if I wanted Jeb to run. The answer was no as the sacrifice for his family was huge. I changed my mind as it became clear that he is needed. I admit to being prejudiced as I am his mother.”
“Jeb is wise, caring, loyal, even-tempered and a strong leader. These are tough times and we need a strong leader. Jeb is a strong and proven leader. Please vote for Jeb.”
Bush, who ranks sixth in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings, plans to hold three public events in New Hampshire on Friday.
