# Jeb Bush ends his campaign for POTUS **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 21, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669 "2016-02-21T03:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/41 "2016-02-21T23:18:13Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > It makes me really wonder how his gubernatorial campaigns went. > > He seems never to have had an obstacle in his life, you know, those things that build character, and personality. Other than losing the first time he ran for Governor in 1994? By coincidence, that was the same year that Dubya won his first governor’s race in Texas, setting him up for the presidency in 2000. Interesting to wonder what might have been of Jeb had won that year and Dubya had lost … ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/42 "2016-02-22T01:28:40Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > There is no restriction - they can nominate someone who didn’t run, like the Democrats did in 1924 when neither the pro- not anti-Prohibition factions would capitulate. But the winner of that was Davis, from my little looking he was on the first ballot even though he had a poor showing. What makes you say he wasn’t running? ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/43 "2016-02-22T18:22:26Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I think they can vote “for whomever they wish” from the established candidates. They couldn’t just nominate Oprah because she’s awesome. You’re saying write ins are valid? I am hoping for a cite or a case in history. In the absence of a time machine it’s hard to have a definitive cite for what the rules will be. The most recent cycle’s rules changes (must have a majority of delegates from 8 states to be on the convention ballot and tighter binding of delegates) do show the willingness to change rules after all the primaries are over. They also provide some evidence to not being able to vote for someone not on that ballot in the first round under current rules without addressing what happens after that. If someone can manage to pull a majority of delegates they’ll have the power regardless. If not… who knows what rules the convention will implement. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/44 "2016-02-22T21:27:43Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Maybe that’s a strategic move to help Rubio get some extra votes on his home turf? > > Alternatively, at least it would avoid the risk of an embarrassing outcome, like Trump or Cruz beating him in Florida. Given that Real Clear Politics shows him polling 4th in Florida, I’m betting on #2. (with a side order of if Jeb! drops out now, he can spin it as a sacrifice made to help the Republicans nominate a kinda-sane candidate, whereas if he waits until he’s been shellacked in Florida, there’s no way to cast it as anything other than the voters saying “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/45 "2016-02-22T21:45:39Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > In the absence of a time machine it’s hard to have a definitive cite for what the rules will be. But it shouldn’t be impossible to give an example of it ever happening. As far as I’ve seen, every time someone gives me an example of a non-candidate being nominated it has been wrong. So I think it’s safe to say that Romney getting nominated is essentially not possible. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/46 "2016-02-22T23:02:01Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > But it shouldn’t be impossible to give an example of it ever happening. As far as I’ve seen, every time someone gives me an example of a non-candidate being nominated it has been wrong. Polk wasn’t nominated on the first ballot (or the second through seventh ballot), but went on to win his party’s convention. So there’s at least one example, albeit not exactly recent. > [@](#): > > So I think it’s safe to say that Romney getting nominated is essentially not possible. I think that’s true, but not because it would be against the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/47 "2016-02-22T23:14:55Z")
Polk wasn’t nominated on the first ballot, but was he on it? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/48 "2016-02-22T23:21:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Polk wasn’t nominated on the first ballot, but was he on it? Sorry, the two meaning of nominated are confusing. I meant that he wasn’t on the first seven ballots. He was only put forward as a candidate on the eight (which he won). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/49 "2016-02-22T23:39:11Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It’s his own fault. He didn’t follow the precedent from his brother’s South Carolina campaign in 2000, and start spreading a rumour that Trump had fathered a black baby out of wedlock. And in Trump’s case, **everybody** would believe it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/50 "2016-02-22T23:46:28Z")
> [@astro](#): > > **Jeb Bush ends his campaign for POTUS** Seven words I never expected I would live to regret reading. A strange year indeed! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669/51 "2016-02-27T04:45:20Z")
Here’s Colbert, a la _The Hunger Games_, on Jeb!'s failure: [Hungry For Power Games: Jeb Has Fallen - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnowpe7Scro) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-ends-his-campaign-for-potus/746669.md?page=2)