As Jeb Bush gears up for 2016, South Carolina is a case study in GOP’s shift right

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina has been good to the Bushes.  This is where George W. Bush vanquished John McCain on his way to clinching the 2000 Republican presidential nomination. Once in the White House, Bush nurtured his family’s strong ties to the state by making frequent visits here and tapping local supporters for ambassadorships.

But as Jeb Bush considers his own presidential campaign, deep-red South Carolina — which he visited on Monday — offers a case study in how dramatically the political waters have shifted since his older brother and father entered the White House.

When the Bush network was at its zenith here, this state’s current Republican power players were relative nobodies. Gov. Nikki Haley was balancing the books at her mother’s clothing and jewelry boutique, Sen. Tim Scott was sitting on the Charleston County Council and state GOP chairman Matt Moore was finishing high school.

The Republican Party here and elsewhere has become more strident and restless, with new power centers and less certainty, presenting a candidate like Bush with fresh challenges in navigating the Republican primaries. Some of South Carolina’s leading GOP strategists and elected officials said the former Florida governor will have to nimbly adapt.

“Jeb can remake that brand — you can have a new Coke,” said Bob Inglis, a former South Carolina congressman who has been talking with Bush. “He knows he’s not entitled to flip a switch and he knows he’s got to present his take on the Bush brand and see if the solutions orientation is what the electorate wants.”

Bush visited this early primary state to deliver the University of South Carolina’s winter commencement address. He received an honorary doctorate and spoke to about 14,000 people, including about 2,000 graduates.

Bush’s speech was apolitical, but there were clues to how he might campaign for president in the message to graduates.

“You don’t have to follow the pattern,” Bush said. “You can do what you want to do. In fact, life is a lot better if you can find more reasons to do your own things.” He later exhorted, “Don’t be afraid to shake things up.”

Bush, who has said he wants to be able to run for president “joyfully,” expounded on the theme Monday: “If you are able to find joy in life whenever and wherever you can, I can promise you this — joy will find you.”  Read More at Washingtonpost