In Miami Beach, Jeb Bush, former Florida governor and likely 2016 Republican presidential hopeful, said he finds a $1-billion campaign to be unnecessary.
Both GOP nominee Mitt Romney and President Obama reached that figure in 2012 — but having the right team can help run a cheaper operation, Bush said at a question-and-answer session Sunday.
“I don’t think you need to spend a billion dollars to be elected president of the United States in 2016,” Bush said. “I don’t think it’s necessary if you run the right kind of campaign. You don’t need to have these massive amounts of money spent.”
Bush does have a super PAC — Right to Rise — which can raise unlimited funds until he launches his official presidential campaign. He also told supporters Sunday his PAC raised more money in 100 days than any other Republican in modern history at this point.
Bush is also still in the lead when it comes to voters, leading a RealClearPolitics average of polls of potential 2016 Republican candidates.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — the likely Democratic nominee — is expected to raise and spend $1 billion, according to her supporters.
(h/t New York Times, Politico)
