Neil Bush visits Florida, says brother Jeb has ‘a good shot’ at presidency

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Calling himself “the least political member” of his famous political family, Neil Bush is preparing to visit Florida saying his older brother Jeb is likely to run for president “to make the world a better place.”

‘I think he’s had an extraordinary track record leading the state of Florida,” said Bush, the chairman of the international nonprofit Points of Light. Bush will give the keynote address at HandsOn Jacksonville’s upcoming Celebrate! GOOD event later this month. He’s expected to stress the importance of volunteerism and service.

Said Neil of Jeb during an appearance on WJCT’s First Coast Connect: “He’s passionate about issues. He’s been raised in a family with a culture of service.  He’s chosen the political route, and I’ve chosen the nonprofit route. It’s the same end, to try to make the world a better place and help people realize their fullest potential.”

Bush championed his brother’s messaging around the themes of income inequality, an issue that’s also prominent in Hillary Clinton’s video announcement of her run for the presidency.

“I think the name of his PAC, Right to Rise — the name alone says it all,” Bush said.

“We need to help people realize their right to rise. I’m proud of Jeb. I think he’s got a good shot. I know he’s lean and mean and looking at running hard.”

In addition to her work writing for Florida Politics, Melissa Ross also hosts and produces WJCT’s First Coast Connect, the Jacksonville NPR/PBS station’s flagship local call-in public affairs radio program. The show has won four national awards from Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). First Coast Connect was also recognized in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 as Best Local Radio Show by Folio Weekly’s “Best Of Jax” Readers Poll and Melissa has also been recognized as Folio Weekly’s Best Local Radio Personality. As executive producer of The 904: Shadow on the Sunshine State, Melissa and WJCT received an Emmy in the “Documentary” category at the 2011 Suncoast Emmy Awards. The 904 examined Jacksonville’s status as Florida’s murder capital. During her years in broadcast television, Melissa picked up three additional Emmys for news and feature reporting. Melissa came to WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. Married with two children, Melissa is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism/Communications. She can be reached at [email protected]