--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Jeb Bush was supposed to be the…" description: "\"Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/mara-liasson-8465_candidates_jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establis_6187.jpg" --- # Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate… ![“Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that the establishment, moderate wing of the party has sidelined itself. They're not coalescing around one candidate as they have in the past.” quote by Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/mara-liasson-8465_candidates_jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establis_6187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/mara-liasson-8465_candidates_jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establis_6187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/mara-liasson-8465_candidates_jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establis_6187.jpg) > “Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that the establishment, moderate wing of the party has sidelined itself. They're not coalescing around one candidate as they have in the past.” [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote observes that the Republican establishment failed to rally behind a single moderate candidate, leading to a fragmented primary field. **In simple terms:** Establishment fragmentation in GOP primary. Key Takeaway Lack of unified moderate support. Themes party dynamics moderate vs. radical candidate selection political strategy internal party conflict Mood analytical cautious critical Type political commentary observational analysis When to use this quote - campaign strategy meetings - media analysis of primaries - voter outreach planning Key Concepts establishment influence primary election mechanics candidate viability Practical Applications - advising party leadership - designing coalition-building initiatives Questions to Reflect On - How does a divided establishment affect general election prospects? - What mechanisms could restore cohesion among moderates? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Extraordinary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary-things/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) ## Related quotes > [I was proud to have been the anti-establishment candidate after more than twenty years in politics, a small town guy fighting for the ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/i-was-proud-to-have-been-the-anti-establishment-candidate-after-more/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [I recognize out of the box that I am not the establishment candidate. There's nothing about me that would have anybody draw the conclusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gillum/i-recognize-out-of-the-box-that-i-am-not-the-establishment-candidate/) [Andrew Gillum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-gillum/) > [Senator Arlen Specter hasn't really switched parties; he's simply realized he cannot win the Pennsylvania Republican primary election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-reagan/senator-arlen-specter-hasn-t-really-switched-parties-he-s-simply/) [Michael Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-reagan/) > [Well, the tough thing for them is that the Republican primary is pretty far over to the right, just as the Democratic primary is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-the-tough-thing-for-them-is-that-the-republican-primary-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Michigan Republican primary apparently is tighter than Willie Nelson's headband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/the-michigan-republican-primary-apparently-is-tighter-than-willie/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [The Donald Trump I knew as a young reporter in New York was nothing if not media friendly. And for most of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-karl/the-donald-trump-i-knew-as-a-young-reporter-in-new-york-was-nothing/) [Jonathan Karl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-karl/) > [The good thing about having a Republican primary is that the voters will decide our nominee - unlike the Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-lopez-cantera/the-good-thing-about-having-a-republican-primary-is-that-the-voters/) [Carlos Lopez-Cantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-lopez-cantera/) > [A Republican primary race that has for months alternated between spectacle and abomination has over the past 20th hours ignited into a raging, full-blown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/a-republican-primary-race-that-has-for-months-alternated-between/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [In my view, republican primary debates ought to be moderated by people who would vote in a primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/in-my-view-republican-primary-debates-ought-to-be-moderated-by-people/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I've voted in a Republican primary in the past. That's something unique to Texas and a handful of other states, that we don't register…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-ve-voted-in-a-republican-primary-in-the-past-that-s-something/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [Republican primary voters, whether they're close primaries or open, are voting for anybody but candidates attached to the Republican establishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/republican-primary-voters-whether-they-re-close-primaries-or-open-are/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [In politics, people throw around the word 'friend' so much it often has little real meaning. This is not one of those times, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/in-politics-people-throw-around-the-word-friend-so-much-it-often-has/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Just days after Mitt Romney suggested he might run for president, there's been a backlash. The backlash is led by Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/just-days-after-mitt-romney-suggested-he-might-run-for-president/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Leadership is about making decisions with the information you have, not the information people will have 12 years later, i kind of feel sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/leadership-is-about-making-decisions-with-the-information-you-have/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More by Mara Liasson > [Donald Trump's staffing up a pretty traditional, very conservative Republican government, not a populist outsider government, at least not yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/donald-trump-s-staffing-up-a-pretty-traditional-very-conservative/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ This year \[2016\], however, polls show \[Hillary\] Clinton winning white college-educated voters by double digits. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/this-year-2016-however-polls-show-hillary-clinton-winning-white/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [On the other side, you have the conservative intelligentsia - magazines like National Review, which has a big anti-Trump issue; Weekly Standard editor, conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/on-the-other-side-you-have-the-conservative-intelligentsia-magazines/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [The president is under 50 percent approval ratings in all the battleground states. So, you could say that President Obama is defying gravity by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/the-president-is-under-50-percent-approval-ratings-in-all-the/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [If she Hillary Clinton win just two of the three big battleground states - North Carolina, Florida and Virginia - she will have shut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/if-she-hillary-clinton-win-just-two-of-the-three-big-battleground/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [The base has chosen or is choosing a candidate that the establishment says is absolutely unacceptable. And what that means is this marriage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/the-base-has-chosen-or-is-choosing-a-candidate-that-the-establishment/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ You have \[Donald\] Trump and \[Ted\] Cruz battling it out, and the moderate establishment candidates like Chris Christie or Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, John… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/you-have-donald-trump-and-ted-cruz-battling-it-out-and-the-moderate/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [The country wants the president and the Congress focused on jobs and the economy. Any regulation that the president promulgates that isn't focused on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/the-country-wants-the-president-and-the-congress-focused-on-jobs-and/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ What does \[Hillary\] Clinton do if she loses? Concede? Blame the Russians? Or the FBI? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/what-does-hillary-clinton-do-if-she-loses-concede-blame-the-russians/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [Hillary Clinton is also not a very exciting, inspiring candidate to a lot of the left-leaning Democratic base, especially in Iowa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/hillary-clinton-is-also-not-a-very-exciting-inspiring-candidate-to-a/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [There's disgust with what people called a broken political system, and they're really angry at elites, whether it's the Republican establishment or particularly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/there-s-disgust-with-what-people-called-a-broken-political-system-and/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ People like Ted Cruz, who has tried to position himself as the best second choice for \[Donald\] Trump supporters, wouldn't condemn him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/people-like-ted-cruz-who-has-tried-to-position-himself-as-the-best/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [Republican candidates have won whites with college degrees in every presidential election since polling began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/republican-candidates-have-won-whites-with-college-degrees-in-every/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ \[Hillary\] Clinton has also struggled with key groups of voters. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/hillary-clinton-has-also-struggled-with-key-groups-of-voters/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [ \[Mike\] Bloomberg aides says he's more likely to run if it's \[Donald\]Trump or \[Ted\] Cruz versus Sanders, then there would, presumably, be space in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/mike-bloomberg-aides-says-he-s-more-likely-to-run-if-it-s-donald/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) [Explore all 80 Mara Liasson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) ## More Candidates quotes > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. 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There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) Victor Gold > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [Hillary Clinton is the least popular candidate for president ever except for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pickering/hillary-clinton-is-the-least-popular-candidate-for-president-ever/) Charlie Pickering > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. 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