Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a likely candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, speaks Spanish in a new video celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
The video was released by Bush’s political action committee, which described it as “a message for the entire Hispanic population in the United States, but especially those of Mexican origin.” Bush is fluent in Spanish.
“Cinco de Mayo is an honorable date when Mexico, our neighbor, bravely defended itself against a foreign intervention,” Bush said. “Here in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become a day where we celebrate our ties with Mexico and the great contributions of the Mexican-American community in the U.S.”
Bush said that for him personally, that “relationship is very profound” because his wife Columba was born in Mexico. “I have great respect and affection for our neighboring country,” he added.
Bush’s success in reaching out to Hispanic voters is seen as an asset in the coming campaign, but many conservatives are skeptical of his views on immigration.
