Jeb Bush: I Can ‘Persuade’ Conservatives on Amnesty

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush believes he can “persuade” conservatives to support comprehensive amnesty legislation during a potential 2016 presidential campaign.

In the second part of his interview with a local Florida television station this week, Bush was asked about the “immigration issue” and whether he could “get through the primary” with his pro-amnesty positions. Bush replied to NBC 6 in Florida that “a candidate gets to persuade.” 

“I think there’s a compelling case that, if we want to be young and dynamic again, we have to make legal immigration easier than illegal immigration, that we control our borders, enforce the laws, but that we embrace our immigrant heritage and allow our country to take off. You gotta do both,” he added. “You gotta protect the borders, enforce the law, be respectful of the rule of law, and at the same time be able to encourage young aspirational people to come to our country. It’s a win-win. I have no problems advancing that idea.” 

Bush, who earlier declared that a Republican must be willing to “lose the primary” in order to win the general election, announced this week that he is “actively exploring” a potential presidential campaign. Aware that his positions on immigration and Common Core will be significant hurdles, Bush seems intent on doubling down on his moderate positions instead of flip-flopping and coming off as a phony.