Governor Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba: Tallahassee, Florida (1999)

Bush was born John Ellis Bush (J.E.B.) in 1953 in Midland, Texas to future U.S. President and First Lady George and Barbara Bush. He met his future wife, Columba Garnica Gallo, during a student exchange program in Mexico in 1970. They married four years later. The Bushes moved to Miami in 1980, where he worked in real estate. After a stint as Florida Secretary of Commerce (1987-1988), he ran for governor in 1994 against Lawton Chiles. Bush was successful his second attempt in 1998, the same year his older brother, George W. Bush, won re-election in Texas. Jeb was re-elected in 2002. He was the Florida's 43rd governor, and its first Republican to win re-election.

Jeb Bush in the Secretary of Commerce position (1987)

Bush assisted in the election of Florida governor Bob Martinez in 1986, Florida's second Republican governor since Reconstruction. Martinez then appointed Bush as Secretary of Commerce. Bush resigned in 1988 to work on his father's, George H.W. Bush, successful presidential campaign.

Vice President George Bush speaks at Florida's Republican party convention: Orlando, Florida (1987)

Jeb's father (former oilman, congressman, U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency) was President Ronald Reagan's vice-president, 1981-1989. Vice-president Bush developed close relations with Florida's Republican governor, Bob Martinez, during Bush's successful 1988 presidential campaign.

President George H.W. Bush visiting with Governor Martinez at the mansion: Tallahassee, Florida (1990)

Crowd during inauguration ceremony on the east lawn of the Old Capitol (1999)

Inauguration ceremony of Jeb Bush (1999)

Jeb Bush taking oath of office from Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Major B. Harding, with wife, Columba at side.

L-R in Background: Former President George H. W. Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch, George P. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush Jr., Noelle Bush.

Jeb Bush giving his inaugural address (1999)

Rev. Billy Graham congratulates Jeb Bush at inauguration (1999)

L-R : Jeb Bush Jr., Billy Graham, Governor Jeb Bush, George P. Bush, George W. Bush.

Photographed on January 5, 1999.

Governor Jeb Bush and wife, Columba, during inauguration parade (1999)

Governor Bush and the Cabinet: Tallahassee, Florida (1999)

L-R: Comptroller Robert F. Milligan, Secretary of State Katherine Harris, Commissioner of Agriculture Robert B. Crawford, Attorney General Robert Butterworth, Governor John Ellis Bush, Treasurer C. William Nelson, Commissioner of Education Charles Thomas Gallagher.