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 At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, a questioner asked the
former Florida governor whether he would launch an independent run
for the White House if Trump were to win the Republican nomination
for the November 2016 presidential elections.
"No. I'm not going to run as a third-party candidate, no matter who
wins the nomination," Bush said. "I've been supporting Republicans
since Richard Nixon."
Trump, a billionaire real estate developer and reality television
star, has been leading the Republican field.
Bush, lagging in the polls nationally and in the early voting state
of New Hampshire but drawing energetic crowds during an intense
focus on the state, insisted he would ultimately win the nomination.
 But he was reminded of the popularity of Trump when Tom Emanuel, a
selectman from nearby Laconia, New Hampshire, told Bush he was
leaning toward supporting Trump and wanted to know why Bush had
recently called the New York mogul a "jerk."
Looking at his watch, Bush drew laughter in the crowd when he
replied: "Let me see how much time we have."
Turning more serious, Bush said he admired some aspects of Trump,
such as his successful business record, although he said he thought
Trump might have exaggerated some of it, and to an extent liked his
ability to speak his mind without resorting to politically correct
statements.
Still, he said, Trump's disparaging of a disabled New York Times
reporter and frequent insults of other people have gone too far.
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"When somebody disparages a person with disabilities, that sets me
off," he said. "That's why I called him a jerk."
Bush has more than any of his Republican rivals taken aim squarely
at Trump and tried to define him as a man unqualified to serve in
the Oval Office.
Bush said a purported North Korean test of a hydrogen nuclear bomb
underscored Trump's challenge, pointing to Trump's inability at a
Dec. 14 debate to talk credibly about the three elements of the U.S.
nuclear "triad," the arsenal of missiles based in the air, at sea
and on land.
"I think when you're asked about the nuclear triad, and you're
running for president of the United States, you'd better have a good
answer," he said.
For more on the 2016 U.S. presidential race and to learn about the
undecided voters who determine elections, visit the Reuters website.
(http://www.reuters.com/election2016/the-undecided/).
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Alana Wise; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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