Jeb Bush Leans Toward Senate Run in Florida

All signs are pointing toward a Jeb Bush run for the Senate in Florida, Politico reports. Nothing’s settled, say those close to him, but the former governor has been working the phones since Sen. Mel Martinez announced he wouldn’t run again in 2010. "Everything indicates that he's in," said a Republican strategist. "You're not making calls and laying the ground work for fundraising unless you're clearing the field for your candidacy."

Analysts say that Florida Republicans would love it and that the Bush name wouldn’t be a hurdle. “The mere mention of Jeb's potential Senate run has put Republicans in a much more festive holiday mood,” said one political science professor. "Everyone is encouraging him to run,” added a source. He will likely announce his decision in the first week of January.
(More Jeb Bush stories.)