Jeb Bush Will 'Actively Explore the Possibility of Running for President' 16 Dec 2014 Jeb Bush announced this morning that he will "actively explore the possibility of running for president of the United States." The former Florida governor, 61, said he made the decision over the Thanksgiving holiday in consultation with his family. His timing is to send the message to donors, GOP activists and other 2016 prospects that he is dead-serious about running and they should take that into account, a top Republican close to Bush told ABC News.