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 "I'm a practicing, reform-minded conservative," the 62-year-old
former Florida governor told the Conservative Political Action
Conference (CPAC) in Maryland near Washington.
Many attending the annual gathering of grassroots activists made
clear they prefer a potential Bush rival, Wisconsin Governor Scott
Walker, among others.
Bush was heckled and booed, but the antipathy was balanced out by
enthusiastic supporters who showed up shortly before he spoke and
clapped heartily and aggressively.
While some audience members walked out of the packed auditorium as
he began talking, there was no mass walkout and he was well-received
overall.
"I like that he has a more moderate position on immigration," said
Aaron Degroot, 22, of St. Anne, Illinois.
 Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush and brother of
former President George W. Bush, has emerged as the favorite of the
Republican Party's establishment wing. He has been on a fund-raising
binge that has raised millions of dollars for a potential 2016
presidential campaign.
But the party's conservative base has been alarmed at Bush's support
for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants and for an
education policy known as Common Core.
Referring to skeptics in the audience, he said, “I'm marking them
down as neutral and I want to be your second choice if I go beyond
this.”
A Bush critic, conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham,
reflected some of the right's concern about Bush in an early morning
talk at CPAC. She said she saw little difference between him and the
overwhelming favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination,
Hillary Clinton.
"Why don’t we just call it quits, and Jeb and Hillary can run on the
same ticket," she said. "I'm designing the bumper sticker. It could
be 'Clush.' What difference does it make?"
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Facing a crowd angered by Democratic President Barack Obama's
executive order relaxing immigration policy, Bush stuck to his
position that Americans should be more accepting of immigrants and
be willing to provide legal status for those already here.
He said it would help expand the U.S. economic base, and help his
party extend its reach.
"We will be able to get (the) Latinos and young people that you need
to win," he said.
On Common Core, Bush said the policy was one element of a broader
education reform effort that included conservative priorities like
charter schools, vouchers and an end to affirmative action.
Asked about gay marriage, Bush said he supported “traditional”
marriage, meaning between a man and a woman, without the caveats
expressed by others that it should be a matter for the states.
He said he opposed marijuana legalization but said it should be up
to states to decide.
(Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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