Hillary Clinton vs. Jeb Bush? Why political dynasties might make sense. (+video)

A new Battleground Poll shows Hillary Clinton beating Jeb Bush by a wide margin on favorability. That could actually spur Bush to run for president, says a Republican pollster. Here's why.

Hillary Rodham Clinton has a favorable rating of 54 percent, versus just 36 percent for Jeb Bush, according to the latest George Washington University Battleground Poll.

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But dont assume that will discourage Mr. Bush, the former two-term governor of Florida, from getting into the 2016 presidential race. Those numbers might actually encourage Bush to jump in, says Republican pollster Ed Goeas. He was speaking Tuesday at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.

All of a sudden, its no longer too many Bushes, says Mr. Goeas, who conducts the Battleground Poll with Democrat Celinda Lake. It becomes two very powerful political families going up against each other.

Bush and Mrs. Clinton both spoke at a conference on higher education Tuesday near Dallas. They were not on stage together, but just appearing at the same event was good enough to spark another round of Hillary-Jeb 2016 headlines.

In fact, Bush has been sounding more positive lately about a possible campaign. So has his mother, Barbara Bush, wife and mother of ex-presidents. Last year, the family matriarch declared that weve had enough Bushes in the White House. But earlier this month, she changed her tune and called her No. 2 son the best qualified person in the country.

Some folks may find the idea of a Clinton-Bush presidential matchup distasteful. After all, Americans are famous for telling their kids they could grow up to be president someday. You dont have to belong to a political royal family to rise to the top, the thinking goes. Mrs. Bush called it silly to think that we cant find more than two or three families to run for high office. Indeed, Presidents Clinton and Obama both have humble origins.

But theres a lot to be said for coming from a political family. Thats especially true now with the presidency. The fundraising demands alone have never been more daunting. Ditto the demand to organize staff and volunteers around the country. If Hillary Clinton runs, shes the instant favorite to win the Democratic nomination, in part because she can activate both with the snap of her fingers.

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Hillary Clinton vs. Jeb Bush? Why political dynasties might make sense. (+video)

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