Even—or maybe particularly—Jeb! Bush’s biggest donors are in on the Bush campaign deathwatch.
POLITICO talked to nearly two dozen major donors, and most say they are waiting for what one veteran Republican and former Bush 43 administration appointee described as the "family hall pass" to jump to another campaign after the New Hampshire primary.
“I’m resigned to it being over, frankly. It’s really disappointing,” said one top Bush Wall Street donor. “I’d urge him to get out after New Hampshire if he doesn’t do well, but he probably won’t.”
Clearly these people are not worried about being cut out of Jeb’s personal inner circle, but fear crossing his family by supporting one of his competitors. The donors do not seem to be trying to hide their knowledge that this thing is all but over:
"Hey, I need you to throw away money on Jeb — out of loyalty," a Bush fundraiser has told donors recently.
Ouch. You’d think the guy would get out of the race just to keep more quotes like that from surfacing.