The list of donors on his campaign's National Finance Committee,
provided to Reuters, is a who's who of his long-time supporters from
Florida, members of his famous family's far-flung political network,
and recruits from other candidates in the race.
The announcement of the team appeared aimed at reassuring jittery
Bush supporters that he maintains a steady stream of funds and has
the ability to fight his way out of a rough period in which his poll
numbers have sagged.
The committee's formation comes days before major donors gather in
Miami on Saturday for an update from Bush campaign officials on his
position in the Republican race, currently led by New York
businessman Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Dec/01/images/ads/current/SCIL_bch_100215.png) Bush's team is led by Woody Johnson, owner of the NFL's New York
Jets.
It includes a variety of Republican supporters who have helped Bush
in his home state of Florida, such as Republican strategist Ana
Navarro and Al Cardenas, former chairman of the American
Conservative Union.
It also includes a variety of backers of the Bush family over the
years, such as Brad Freeman, who was a leader in George W. Bush's
finance efforts in his successful 2000 and 2004 presidential
campaigns, and Don Evans, who was George W. Bush's commerce
secretary.
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Bush's list has some recruits from other campaigns, such as New
Jersey donor Joe Kyrillos, a one-time backer of New Jersey Governor
Chris Christie, and New York financier Anthony Scaramucci, who
backed Bush when Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker dropped out of the
2016 race.
Once considered the front-runner for the Republican presidential
nomination in 2016, Bush in recent months has slipped in the polls
behind Trump, Carson, and a pair of senators, Ted Cruz and Marco
Rubio.
Bush's campaign is now hoping to rebound on the assumption that
Republican voters will eventually give him a second look when they
seek out a more substantive candidate instead of non-politicians
such as Trump and Carson.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Alan Crosby)
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