'Jeb!' belongs in the top tier: Our view

(This is an updated version of an editorial first posted Sunday.)

For Jeb Bush, running for president is tougher than it was for his father and brother, both of whom coasted to the Republican nomination with the help of the party's establishment.

In 1988, George H.W. Bush was the natural heir as the two-term vice president to Ronald Reagan. And in 2000, GOP power brokers and financiers coalesced around Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

But Jeb Bush, who formally announced his candidacy Monday in Florida, is running at a time when the Bush name is more of a liability than an asset. He is distrusted by the GOP's conservative base. He has proved to be rusty on the campaign trail, most notably when he spent several days fumbling predictable questions about the Iraq War. His prodigious fundraising, prolonged while he flouted restrictions on unofficial candidates, has hardly scared off potential opponents.

For these and other reasons, Bush's poll numbers have actually fallen lately. At an average of 10.8%, he is in a virtual tie with at least five other candidates, including Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon with no experience in elective office.

Even so, as tempting as it might be to dismiss John Ellis "Jeb" Bush as a flawed candidate running a flawed campaign, it would be a mistake for Republicans to do that. Whatever his problems, Bush is the type of nominee the GOP needs if it wants to win the White House for the first time since 2004.

In presidential election years, turnout swells with immigrant voters, young voters and other constituencies favoring Democrats. While most of his rivals are trying to stoke the base, Bush is trying to sell the Republican brand to these growing voting blocs.

He delivered part of his speech Monday in fluent Spanish. He reiterated his support for immigration reform and struck themes of generating opportunities in a way that could resonate with immigrants and others who don't normally vote Republican.

Immigration reform is necessary for a nation with 11 million people living in the shadows; it is also vital for a party that conceded more than 70% of the Latino vote to President Obama in 2012 after nominee Mitt Romney urged undocumented people to "self-deport."

While he did not explicitly say it Monday, Bush also continues to support the Common Core education standards. Common Core promotes more rigorous education, and Bush, to his credit, has not given in to conservatives who've convinced themselves that the standards are a Washington plot.

Bush is also skilled at downplaying the slashing, negative attacks employed by other GOP candidates in favor of a more positive pitch. On Sunday, he released a new logo (Jeb!) and a new video that attacks Washington almost subliminally, focusing instead on an upbeat message about putting the most vulnerable Americans "at the front of the line."

Based on his experience and his message, Bush deserves to be in the top tier of candidates with a realistic claim on the nomination. Any candidate who wants to win the general election, and not just the nomination, should be willing to buck party orthodoxy on a few key matters.

That was once the case for Democrats; Bill Clinton's move to the center helped get him elected in 1992 and 1996 after a string of Democratic losses in presidential elections. Now it is true for Republicans as well.

Paste BN's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view — a unique Paste BN feature.

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