FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- George P. Bush, part of the political family that spawned two presidents, is the new deputy finance chairman for the Republican Party of Texas, officials say.
Bush, 36, is the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the nephew of former President George W. Bush and grandson of former President George H.W. Bush.
The young Bush told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in a written statement: "I am excited about this opportunity to help the Republican Party here in Texas. We have excellent candidates running for office who, once elected, will continue the tradition of making Texas the greatest State in the Union."
"Clearly he is being groomed for great things in Texas and perhaps beyond," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.
Jillson, as well as other GOP pundits, have long considered Bush a strong prospect for the party, from his time in law school, to his deployment to Afghanistan as a Navy Reserve intelligence officer.
Bush, 36, who is half-Mexican and lives in Fort Worth with his wife Amanda, co-founded Pennybacker Capital, a real estate private equity firm.
Bush's track record also shows an interest in non-profit work: He lead a $30 million capital campaign for Big Brothers Big Sisters in North Texas, as well as heading the Dallas/Fort Worth Celebration of Reading. He is also part of an effort to expand Uplift Education, a Dallas charter school.
Jillson says Bush's background is what makes him an asset for the Republican Party.
"He's a big part of the Republican Party's future as they would envision it," Jillson said. "They know that Anglos are a shrinking share of the Texas population and the Texas electorate and Hispanics are an increasing share ... . They'll have to add Hispanic voters to the Republican side, and they hope he will be one of the people who help with that."
