Born as John Ellis Bush on February 11, 1953, in Midland, Texas , since he was very young, he’s been called by his initials, Jeb. Bush’s father, President George H W Bush, at the time Jeb was born was running an oil drilling company, and hadn’t yet gotten into politics. When the young Bush was six, his family moved to Houston , where he enjoyed playing sports such as baseball and tennis. He started out attending a public elementary school, only later to transfer to a private school. When he was in eighth grade, his father served in congress, and moved the family to Washington, DC , with the younger Bush attending a private boarding school, Philips Andover, the alma mater of his older brother President George W Bush.

The young Bush spent some time as a foreign exchange student, and met Columba Garnica Gallo, whom he would eventually wed and convert to Catholicism for. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies. He registered for the draft after college, only for the war to end before his services were needed. He and Columbi went on to have three children, George P., Jeb Jr., and Noelle.

Bush started working at Texas Commerce Bank, a job given to him by his father’s long time friend, James A Baker. A few years later, Bush was sent to open up a new branch of the bank in Caracas, Venezuela. By the time he returned to the United States, he was an executive of the bank, yet he spent his time working on his father’s campaign for president. His father lost the nomination to Ronald Reagan, but became his running mate. The pairing won in 1980 and again in 1984. Four years later it was his father that was being elected president.

After the first election in 1980, the younger Bush moved his family to Miami-Dade County, Florida to work in real estate. Aside from real estate, he was also involved in work for a mobile phone company, and he served on the board of a fire equipment company. He was part owner of the football team Jacksonville Jaguars, the owner of a shoe company, and was also involved in a deal to sell water pipes in Nigeria. Bush also ended up on the payroll of a company that aided the CIA in an assassination attempt of Fidel Castro.

After serving as Florida ’s Secretary of Commerce in 1987 and 1988, Bush resigned to work again on his father’s campaign. The younger Bush ran for governor of Florida in 1994, but it was incumbent Lawton Chiles who won. Bush defeated Lt. Governor Buddy McKay in 1998, ironically the same time George W Bush was serving as Governor of Texas, and just a month after died. In between the two elections, Bush spent his time starting a not-for-profit organization and volunteering for charities. He also co-wrote a book, Profiles in Character, and co-founded the first charter school in Florida.

In 2002 Bush became the first Republican governor to be reelected n Florida, with a focus on reforming public education. He was also behind legislation to protect the Everglades and to save Terry Shiavo’s life, a young woman who was on life support in Florida. With the good comes the bad, as Bush came under scrutiny with the mistakes that were made in the Florida voting for the 2000 Presidential election. Bush’s brother, George W., went on to win in a tightly contested race.

By law, Bush was prevented from running for a third term as governor. Rumors have existed about a possible run for President in 2008, but he has consistently denied it. He was also offered the job as Commissioner of the NFL, replacing outgoing Paul Tagliabue, but turned it down as he didn’t want anything to interrupt his last few months in office.

The 44th and current governor of Florida is Charlie Crist.

YUDDY