Alabama businessman seeks to become epicenter of ‘Stop Jeb’ movement

—

February 18, 2015

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama businessman who made headlines last year by winning a landmark campaign finance case before the U.S. Supreme Court is now focusing his newfound political influence on stopping former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush from becoming the Republican presidential nominee in 2016.

Shaun McCutcheon told Newsmax last week that he is now using his Conservative Action Fund Super PAC to “Stop Jeb,” from becoming the GOP’s presidential nominee.

“Nothing against Gov. Bush at all, I’m sure he’s a fine man,” McCutcheon said, “but you know that if he becomes the Republican nominee, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats will run television ads over and over again linking him to his father and brother. And I don’t have to remind you that two presidencies of his father and brother both ended on an acrimonious note.”

“If Republicans are going to have a chance at re-taking the presidency next year, they just don’t need to have all of that re-played over and over again,” McCutcheon added.

While the Democratic party has seemingly already united behind Hillary Clinton, the GOP appears to be headed for another “tea party” vs. “establishment” free-for-all.

Mr. Bush, an establishment favorite, will almost assuredly be the most well-financed candidate in the race, but will have to overcome intense opposition from conservatives who consider his views on Common Core and immigration as red flags. Influential commentators like Mark Levin and Michele Mallkin have been among the most outspoken conservatives in the anti-Jeb camp.

“Jeb Bush is a good moderate Democrat,” Levin told the Washington Examiner in December. “He’s very boring. He doesn’t elicit excitement and energy outside a very small circle of wealthy corporatists and GOP Beltway operatives. Time to move on.”

When Mr. Bush announced he was exploring a run for President, Malkin wrote, “Allow me to unite America’s Left, Right, and Center in just three words: No, Jeb, No!”

However it plays out when the primary battle heats up later this year, Alabama’s McCutcheon and his significant financial resources will be right in the middle of it.