Jeb!

Scott Hardie | November 6, 2002
Jeb Bush is not a bad choice for Florida's governor. He seems significantly more competent than his newly defeated opponent, Bill McBride, and would probably do a better job. However, he didn't win today's election with my help. I voted against him today because I disagree with him on the issues, but primarily, I voted against him because I wanted to halt his political career. He was considered the prodigal Bush son, the one always expected to take the White House, until his career hit a surprise speed bump in 1994 and George W. traded places with him. I fear that Jeb will be the Republican presidential candidate in 2008 and/or 2012, and I cringe at the thought of another Bush in the White House for four more years. I don't care if JFK has to come back from the grave and run in order for it to happen, I want to see a Democrat win the presidency in 2004, and I don't ever want to hear from another Bush again. Why do people keep voting for them? They make goddamned lousy presidents.

But we didn't just lose the governorship today, oh no. We lost everything. The other two state-level offices, attorney general and argiculture commissioner, both went to Republicans. Here in my district, every race went to Republicans, every damn one. The only race that a Democrat won was the one in which no Republican ran. And these weren't neck-and-neck, either; the smallest margin of victory was 8%.

I'm embarrassed for my party. We got our asses handed to us. What happened to the anger over Jeb handing George the keys to the White House? What happened to the supposedly central issue in this state, education, on which the Democrats should have cleaned house? I don't know. I'm just very disappointed. Oh well, at least I can enjoy the tax cuts.