Third George Bush vies to be family’s new standard bearer

By: 3 years ago

In this file photo taken on December 4, 2018, George P. Bush greets mourners in front of the casket of his grandfather, the late former President George HW Bush, as he lies in state in the US Capitol Rotunda, in Washington, DC. AFP

WASHINGTON — A new generation of the Bush family is flying the flag for the storied US political clan after making the final in the race to be the Republicans’ attorney general candidate in Texas.

George P. Bush placed second late Tuesday in the Lone Star State’s primary elections, and now faces Ken Paxton, who is seeking a third term, in a runoff in May.

Paxton will be the favorite despite being under a felony indictment for securities fraud and the subject of an FBI probe into accusations of bribery and abuse of office.

If Bush loses the runoff, it will mark one of the rare pauses in modern American political life when there has been no member of the family in elected office.

The 45-year-old is the son of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the nephew to the 43rd president George W. Bush and the grandson of 41, George H.W. Bush.

Elected land commissioner in Texas in 2014, Bush has gone against the grain by being the sole high-profile family member to back former US president Donald Trump.

Trump returned the favor by endorsing Paxton.

Bush — who has Hispanic heritage through his Mexican-born mother — picked up a little under a quarter of the vote Tuesday, while Paxton garnered around 43 percent.

“Last night, over 57 percent of Texas voters made a very clear statement at the ballot box: corruption and abuse of office will not be tolerated in our state,” Bush said in a statement Wednesday.

“Ken Paxton, I look forward to holding you accountable to Texans for your crimes. It’s time for the next generation of conservative leadership.”

AFP reached out to Paxton’s office but there was no immediate response.