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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Jeb Bush voiced support for immigration reform and Common Core education standards while stumping for Gov. Rick Snyder and U.S. Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land on Monday in Grand Rapids.
The former Florida governor – whose father and older brother each were in the White House – shied away from discussing his own 2016 presidential prospects on Oct. 13, at the Kent County Republican Party headquarters, 725 Lake Michigan Dr. NW.
Instead, he said "electing principle-centered conservative Republicans at all government levels this year will help more people achieve the American Dream.
Among Bush's key principles for conservatives: immigration reform.
“If we want to create high, sustained economic growth where more people have a chance at earned success, which I think should be the driver for our philosophy as Republicans and conservatives, then fixing a broken immigration system has to be part of that," he said.
Bush also talked about federal Common Core educational standards, which have riled some West Michigan Republicans and spawned challenges to incumbent state lawmakers in August party primary elections. Land, for example, opposes Common Core while Snyder supports it.
“The fact that a third of kids are college- or career-ready is really a national tragedy," Bush said. "I’m passionate about (improving that data) and higher standards are part of that. I can guarantee you that (with Common Core) more children will get closer to being college- and career-ready than they are today.”
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Bush spoke for a few minutes from a podium, then posed for scores of photographs and took reporter questions before heading to Lansing and Novi for campaign events this afternoon. He touted Snyder, who is seeking re-election against Democrat Mark Schauer, as a governor who’s “creating a better business climate” in Michigan and the country.
“The results are there,” Bush said. “The previous governor and her team created the loss of jobs. Gov. Snyder has created an environment where a lot more jobs are being created. He’s a proven leader that gets results.”
Bush called Land a “really talented woman” who could help give the GOP more power in the Senate. Land, a former Kent County clerk and Michigan secretary of state, is running against U.S. Rep. Gary Peters for the seat held by retiring Carl Levin.
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Land, Attorney General Bill Schuette, Michigan Supreme Court candidate James Robert Redford and state House candidate Donijo DeJonge also were at the campaign event.
Matt Vande Bunte covers government for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at mvandebu@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.