Oil industry bet big on Jeb Bush for president, Reuters review shows. Now what?

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:04pm EST

Oil industry bet big on Jeb Bush for president, Reuters review shows. Now what?

BY RICHARD VALDMANIS AND GRANT SMITH

U.S. oil and gas executives bet big on 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush - they donated more to his White House run than to all of his rivals combined, according to a Reuters review of campaign disclosures.

But that was last year.

Now Bush faces what party strategists and donors view as a make or break moment on Saturday in South Carolina's Republican primary, or early nominating contest. Polls show him trailing in the single digits. If he fails to do well, there will be pressure on him to quit, strategists say, and the oil money will be looking for a new home.

The main beneficiaries in the Republican race would likely be Ted Cruz, a U.S. Senator from Texas, and Marco Rubio, a U.S. Senator from Florida. After Bush, the two candidates received the most contributions from the oil and gas industry, according to the Reuters review.

When Bush entered the White House race last year, the petroleum sector saw him as their natural choice: he was the son and brother of former presidents and he came from a West Texas family with historically close ties to the oil industry.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-oil-donors-idUSKCN0VS279

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. And didn't Shrub and Cheney do SO well for big oil back when.....???

Looks like the oil execs figured they had another election in the bag.

I will be SO disappointed for them if ! loses.


Not.

[Octafish]

2. Search for an alternative source of hot gas?

I wouldn't go holding a match near Ted Cruz. That guy, too, reeks of sulfur and gunpowder.

[2naSalit]

3. Between the plummet in crude prices

and jeb! being the failure that he is... looks like Big Earl lost the Daily Double at present.