MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) — George Prescott Bush, the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, won a race for the office of Texas Land Commissioner Tuesday night, the Washington Times reported.
The 38-year-old Bush became the first member of the Bush political dynasty to win the contested position in his first bid for office. He roundly defeating his opponents, including Democrat John Cook, taking a 59 percent share of the electorate, local news sources said.
In line with his party’s message, Bush noted at the state GOP’s victory party that “the people of Texas don’t want a government so large that it gives us everything we want because, in the end, that’s a government that can take everything that we have.” Bush added that his state’s future is “a conservative future and it’s here now,” the Houston Chronicle quoted him as saying.
Bush’s mother, Columbia, is Mexican-born, and he is fluent in Spanish. The local media have noted that Texas Republicans thus see him as an important figure for courting the state’s growing Hispanic population.
Bush was named after his great-grandfather, Connecticut Senator Prescott Bush. He is the grandson of former President George H.W. Bush, and the nephew of former President George W. Bush. His father, Jeb Bush, served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007, and is considering a run for the presidency in 2016.
Prior to his victory, G.P. Bush had served as an attorney in the Texas city of Fort Worth, and as an energy consultant. Before that, he had taught at a school in Miami, and served an eight-month tour in Afghanistan with US Naval Intelligence under an assumed name, the Houston Chronicle noted.
Analysts speaking for Fox News have already begun speculating about the young Land Commissioner’s political future. Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles told Fox News Latino that “it’s a great beginning and a great position in Texas that deals with lots of issues.” Political scientist Cal Jillson added that “people like the idea of a next generation of Bushes in Texas politics,” noting that “people know the name, it has very positive resonance in Texas…He’s young, he’s good looking, but there’s nothing substantive about him yet.”
The Texas General Land Office, which the office of Commissioner oversees, manages land owned by the State of Texas, and is charged with keeping records on, negotiating and enforcing mineral rights for millions of acres of land owned by the state. Royalties from extracted minerals, primarily oil and gas, are channeled to the state’s $34 billion Permanent School Fund. In recent years, the Office has also been charged with managing the Alamo, the famous San Antonio Catholic mission, fortress and landmark.
