Former Jeb Bush Adviser Jorge Arrizurietta Doesn’t Envision GOP Being able to Build Consensus for One Candidate for 2012 Election

Joining Truth for America for the first time was Jorge L. Arrizurietta, president of Arrizurietta and Associates.  He is a past president of Florida Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) where he was the driving force in the drafting of a policy recommendation that Governor Jeb Bush sent to President Bush and his administration that lead to the formation of the Interamerican Ethanol Commission and the important collaboration taking place between the United States Government and the Western Hemisphere.

Arrizurietta opened the show by hoping that for the Florida state elections in 2012 that a Republican candidate similar to now Senator Marco Rubio can unseat Democratic Florida Senator Bill Nelson. “Marco was a great candidate who had the ability to articulate positions on important issues affecting voters.  He is passionate about his convictions.  We need a Republican candidate like that who can compete against Nelson, who is in for a tough election as he tries to gain the support of a more conservative voter base,” said Arrizurietta.

Arrizurietta would like to see Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) run, and he thinks with his name recognition, he could win the Senate seat.

Arrizurietta does not see one viable GOP candidate for president that can build a consensus within the party. Without a candidate that excites the Republican base, President Obama can win reelection, leveraging the power of an incumbent candidate.

“I would like to see former Governor Jeb Bush make a run for the President. He continues to have a national presence with the organizations he supports. People like his plain spoken style and the way he can clearly articulate issues.  He could really fill the current void in the Republican leadership.  But I don’t see him running in 2012.  2016 is another story,” said Arrizurietta. He also thinks that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour would make a good presidential candidate.

While Arrizurietta thinks that party political conventions are unnecessary, he thinks that without a consensus candidate, the GOP convention in 2012 could be important in selecting a viable candidate.

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