Bush rallies supporters at packed Iowa pizza joint
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Jeb Bush made his first campaign-style retail political stop in Iowa on Saturday night, packing a Pizza Ranch restaurant in Cedar Rapids with dozens of local conservatives that turned out to hear the potential candidate’s pitch.
“If I get beyond where we are today, I’ll be back here a lot and I’ll be asking for your support,” Bush said to cheers from supporters in the crowd.
The owner of the Pizza Ranch said 50 people registered to attend, but about twice that many showed up, packing the small meeting room in the back and provoking a call from the local fire marshal to either rearrange the setting or move people out.
{mosads}The crowd was receptive as Bush ticked through his accomplishments as governor in what has become a standard stump-style speech for the former Florida governor.
As governor, Bush said he cut taxes by $18 billion, reduced the size of the state’s workforce by 13,000, created $1.3 million jobs and left the state with billions in a rainy day fund.
“I believe I’ve been the most successful conservative governor in [Florida] history,” Bush declared.
Bush has been keeping a busy schedule on his first trip to the critical early-voting state since he moved towards a presidential run.
He has hit both of the top two major media markets in the state, beginning in Iowa’s largest city, Des Moines, where he hosted a fundraiser for vulnerable Rep. David Young (R-Iowa) on Friday night.
On Saturday in Des Moines, Bush made an impassioned defense of his stance on a path to legalization for illegal immigrants at the first-ever Iowa Ag Summit. Later, he met with key Iowa political activists in Waukee, and ended the day at the Pizza Ranch with supporters in Cedar Rapids, the second largest city in the state.
“I want to win, I want our party to win, I want conservatives to win,” Bush said to huge applause, promising he’d appeal to young voters that he said have been let down by President Obama.
“Young people have had eight years of President Obama,” Bush continued. “He turned them on to begin with, the 2008 election was historic and President Obama did spectacularly well. … The thrill is gone.”
Bush also held his first media availability with the press corps that has been following him through Iowa. The crush of reporters surrounded Bush, shouting over one another, eager for their first interaction with the potential candidate.
It was a brief encounter, and Bush had a testy exchange with one reporter who he said mischaracterized his immigration stance.
“Read my book,” Bush said to the reporter.
“I read your book,” the reporter responded.
“Ok good, then read the book again because you misread that part,” Bush said.
Afterwards, Bush was shuttled out the back of the restaurant for the black Yukon Denali waiting to pick him up. Photographers angled to get shots of the departing former Florida governor.
“See you at the next stop,” Bush said as the car pulled away. “Maybe South Carolina.”
Updated at 8:41 p.m.
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