Jeb Bush Won’t Run Against Pro-Abortion Barack Obama, John Thune a Maybe
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 28, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — When pro-life voters look for a candidate to run against pro-abortion President Barack Obama in 2012, pro-life former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will not be one of their choices. On the other hand, they may be able to consider pro-life South Dakota Sen. John Thune.
Although speculation has continued to focus on whether Bush would follow the trail of his father and brother by mounting a White House bid, he told a television reporter he is not a candidate.
"I am not running for president," he told a Kentucky television station while in the state campaigning for pro-life Senate candidate Rand Paul.
He followed up the comment with an email to the Wall St. Journal, in which he said he didn’t know why speculation has increased in recent months because he has said consistently since leaving his Florida post in 2007 that he is not interested.
“I haven’t a clue. I have not been running for a while and answer the question the same way every time," he said.
Meanwhile, Sen. John Thune, who some political observers say looks the part of a future president and who has been actively helping candidates for other offices given his automatic re-election bid, is keeping his 2012 options open.
"I haven’t made any decisions beyond 2010," Thune said Tuesday night during an appearance on Fox News. "I haven’t made any decisions about that."
"The reason I’m going to those places that you mentioned is because there are important Senate races there, and right now, my focus — and I think everyone’s focus — should be on these midterm elections," he said. "Because we have to do something to change the direction of this country. And the way to do that right now is to elect more Republicans to the House and to the Senate."
"I’m in a position, because I don’t have an opponent in South Dakota this year, to have some more time and availability to get out and help some of my colleagues," Thune added. "Really, I think that’s what you can read into this — that I want to improve our numbers in the Senate."
Thune has a 100 percent pro-life voting record during his time in Congress, according to records from the National Right to Life Committee.
Some other potential 2012 presidential candidates include Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney — both of whom ran as pro-life candidates in 2008. Sarah Palin, the pro-life former vice-presidential candidate; Rick Santorum, the pro-life former senator; pro-life Governors Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour, Bobby Jindal and Mitch Daniels; and pro-life former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; are considered some of the possibilities.
Since Obama took over the White House, he has compiled a thoroughly pro-abortion record.
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