In the ‘other Washington,’ Bush promises to change direction country’s direction

WASHINGTON, Iowa - Jeb Bush concedes there are plenty of folks running for president.

'The last time I checked, another guy showed up,” he joked in Washington, Iowa, Wednesday morning.

The issue isn't the size of the field, but the skills each candidate brings to the race for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, but which candidate can do the things they're all promising, Bush said on his first trip to Iowa as an official candidate.

'For the first time I can say ‘I'd like to have your vote, I'd like you to attend the caucuses, I'd like for you to be a part of our team,” he said to about 75 people sitting on folding chairs around banquet tables in Adam and Teresa Mangold's backyard.

Although he said he was brought up not to brag, Bush, 62, said his record as a two-term governor of Florida is one of applying conservative principles 'in a way that moved the needle for everyone.”

'I can promise you, that if I'm elected president I will work hard to change the direction of this country and I do believe I have the leadership skills to make it so,” he said in an eight-minute stump speech before answering questions for about 25 minutes. 'So I'm humbly here to ask for your vote and ask for your support.”

His audience was supportive, applauding his mention of his father and brother, who were presidents, the need to 'restore our greatness through hard work and leadership,” making it easier to immigrate legally than illegally and creating a pathway to legal status if immigrants meet conditions, and his call for 'more robust civics education.”

Bush reminded his audience of his conservative credentials, which included cutting taxes by $19 billion and the state workforce by 13,000 and improving the state's credit rating from AA to AAA and leaving office with $9 billion in state reserve funds.

The Iowa Democratic Party assessed Bush's record differently. His policies as governor and campaign rhetoric 'give us a clear preview of who Bush would fight for: people like himself, not working Iowans,” Chairwoman Andy McGuire said.

'Iowans need a president who wants to see everyone succeed, not one who puts the priorities of the wealthy and privileged before the needs of regular Americans,” she said.

However, Bush said his policies improved the lives of all Floridians.

'It didn't matter whether you have an R by your name or a D by your name, whether you were an elder or a kid, or someone that was struggling at the bottom or someone in the middle who didn't think their future was bright.”

He also bragged of the 1.3 million jobs created while he was governor, saying it would not have been possible without major education reform.

'We turned the system upside down, we shook it,” he said about the K-12 reforms that moved Florida from 50th to first in many rankings, improved graduation rates for 15 years and made the state a national leader in student achievement.

That was what Wendy Paiva of Washington hoped to hear. Paiva home-schools her three daughters and likes what Bush did to give parents education options, including education savings accounts that help families pay for home schooling and non-public schools.

Bush's was the first candidate event Paiva attended and before he spoke she said her mind was made up.

'I'm totally excited,” she said as she was leaving. 'You can see the leadership. You can see the determination. I'm excited to see a leader.”

State Rep. Jarad Klein, R-Keota, introduced Bush as a candidate 'with a great record … and this is one we should not be ignoring.”

'He's the real deal,” Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, said after hearing Bush. 'He's the one who can do this.”

Washington was part of Bush's swing through Iowa on Wednesday. He later was scheduled to speak in Pella.