Jeb emails show conservative skepticism

by Cameron Joseph - 12/24/14 11:05 AM ET

A trove of email correspondence from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s (R) first year in office indicates he faced early hostility from some conservative activists.

{mosads}The extensive email collection, obtained by The Washington Post, shows the depth of skepticism Bush faced from his right flank.

In January 1999, the month he was inaugurated, Bush forwarded an email attacking him as “NO CONSERVATIVE” to two advisers.

“Kind of scary and I am very tired,” he wrote, according to the Post.

Later that year, Bush tussled with an anti-abortion activist over a judicial appointment he was making.

The activist was furious that the nominee in question had represented the owner of an abortion clinic as a lawyer. Bush responded that he didn’t know of the attorney’s history but had “received recommendations from many people who I respect.”

He followed up by asking aides to send the activist a list of all nominees currently before him.

“We have no litmus test for judges — we are open to hearing from all Floridians,” he wrote, according to the Post, before adding that the woman “appears concerned about the perceived lack of opportunity to provide input.”

The former Florida governor now says he’s “actively exploring” a presidential bid and plans to release hundreds of thousands of emails from his early days as governor early next year. He’s known as a hands-on manager and active emailer who has been a constant presence on the Web since its early days, constantly using his smartphones to pound out emails.

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Bush would start out the race as a financial powerhouse with deep ties across the party, though some conservative activists are furious at him for backing comprehensive immigration reform and Common Core education standards. Both positions could be major stumbling blocks for his campaign.

The Post obtained the emails early through a record request.

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