Hit the Road

Jeb Bush's Iowa TV Ads Pulled, His HQ Staff to Hit the Road

By Clyde Hughes

Jeb Bush has pulled his TV ad buys a month before the crucial Iowa caucuses, preferring instead to double his ground staff in the state. Some of those pounding the bricks will be coming from the campaign's Miami headquarters.

 Although such moves often mark the beginning of the end for presidential campaigns, the Des Moines Register was told by the Bush camp that the change in strategy didn't mean he was abandoning Iowa all together. Bush is increasing his ground staff in the state from 11 to more than 20, which includes added a Hispanic outreach director.

Bush will make a campaign swing in Iowa Jan. 11-13 and will appear in Iowa City, Grinnell, Des Moines and Ankeny.

 "Political observers will be looking closely at Bush's cash on hand when the campaign files its required reports toward the end of January," said Alex Isenstadt of Politico. "The strategic shakeup comes as Bush is mounting a major push in New Hampshire, which his advisers consider a must-win state."

 "The former Florida governor, once the frontrunner of the unwieldy GOP field, is making a last-ditch effort to right a campaign that has faltered despite a hefty cash pile and an establishment pedigree."

 Politico said Bush is increasing staff in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada as well. All are early voting states.

 "For its TV presence, the (Bush) campaign will find itself increasingly reliant on Right to Rise, the super PAC that has been airing tens of millions of dollars in advertisements on Bush’s behalf," said Isenstadt. "The group, which operates independently of the campaign, has reserved advertising time in all four early states."

The Register noted that the Bush campaign had already spent millions on television ads so far, but that has failed to lift him among the Republican leading in Iowa.

 According to the Real Clear Politics average of polls, Bush currently stands in fifth place in Iowa at 4.8 percent, behind U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (30.3 percent), Donald Trump (27.5), U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (12) and Dr. Ben Carson (9.3).

 Bush is in sixth place (7.8 percent) in New Hampshire and fifth place in South Carolina (7.3 percent), according to Real Clear Politics.