{"id":2616659,"date":"2026-06-20T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/please-clap-bush-family-members-electoral-failure-in-maine-is-more-evidence-rino-establishment-is-dead\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:16:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T16:16:48","slug":"please-clap-bush-family-members-electoral-failure-in-maine-is-more-evidence-rino-establishment-is-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/please-clap-bush-family-members-electoral-failure-in-maine-is-more-evidence-rino-establishment-is-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"Please Clap: Bush Family Member&#8217;s Electoral Failure in Maine Is More Evidence RINO Establishment Is Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fplease-clap-bush-family-members-electoral-failure-in-maine-is-more-evidence-rino-establishment-is-dead%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2616659&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The content discusses political shifts exemplified by recent election results in Maine. It highlights the failure of prominent political dynasties, such as members of the Bush family, in the 2026 Maine Republican primary for governor, where Jonathan Bush was eliminated under Maine\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >ranked-choice voting system<\/a>. The article underscores that relying solely on family names no longer guarantees political success, citing Jeb Bush\u2019s unsuccessful 2016 presidential bid and Hillary Clinton\u2019s 2016 presidential loss as past examples. Additionally, it touches on the decline of traditional establishment figures in favor of newcomers and outsider candidates, reflecting broader changes in American political dynamics. The piece also briefly mentions controversies surrounding Jonathan Bush\u2019s personal history, including past allegations of violence and harassment, which may have impacted his campaign. the article emphasizes that contemporary politics demand more than legacy; credentials and public support are now paramount for success.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Finally, a Bush probably won\u2019t have to prompt people to clap.<\/p>\n<p>With most of the political news out of Maine dominated by the Democrats\u2019 Senate nominee Graham Platner, many Americans might have missed another major news story out of the Pine Tree State in the 2026 primary season, but it was a death knell to dynastic politics in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Bush \u2014 a member of a family responsible for two meh presidents and a slew of other disappointing candidates \u2014 couldn\u2019t survive Maine\u2019s ranked-choice voting system in the Republican primary for governor, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/06\/19\/us-news\/bush-dynasty-suffers-defeat-in-maine-gubernatorial-primary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post<\/a> reported Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Bush, a nephew of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president, and cousin of George W. Bush, president No. 43, was vying to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in Maine. (Mills herself withdrew from the Democratic primary for Senate after it was clear she was going to lose to Platner, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/five-reasons-maines-nazi-tattooed-oyster-farmer-beating-susan-collins-hilariously-useful-gop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hobbyist oysterman<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/new-platner-ex-lover-damning-nazi-tattoo-details-claims-kept-reminder-america-evil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nazi<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/gets-worse-dem-senate-candidate-got-nazi-tattoo-bragged-perverse-act-portable-toilets\/\">latrine enthusiast<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>Bush didn\u2019t exactly have the sense to withdraw, however. Despite having no real experience in the political world, he embarked on a campaign in one of the two states that his family dynasty calls home.<\/p>\n<p>Maine employs a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-poll-trump-backed-kelly-tshibaka-leads-alaska-senate-race-lisa-murkowski-losing-in-reelection-bid\/\" title=\"Exclusive \u2014 Poll: Trump-Backed Kelly Tshibaka Leads Alaska ... Race, Lisa Murkowski Losing in Reelection Bid\">ranked-choice system<\/a>, where voters choose multiple candidates in order of preference. As the ballots are tallied, the last-place candidate is eliminated in rounds of counting until one candidate gets over 50 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n<p>While the primary was June 8, final results weren\u2019t announced until early Friday morning, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmtw.com\/article\/maine-primary-ranked-choice-voting-results-governor-cd2\/71631039\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WMTW-TV<\/a> in Portland.<\/p>\n<p>It was clear after the first round that Bush was in trouble \u2014 he was in third place with 19.7 percent of the vote, with political novice Ben Midgley (20.1 percent) and longtime Republican Party lawyer and politico Bobby Charles (37.9 percent) ahead of him, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Maine_gubernatorial_election,_2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ballotpedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In the sixth round of tabulation, confirmed on Friday, Bush was eliminated and Charles declared the winner. He\u2019ll go on and face Hannah Pingree in the general election.<\/p>\n<p>The race as a whole was a blow to dynastic politics in general, with Angus King III \u2014 son of Maine Sen. Angus King \u2014 finishing dead last on the Democratic side.<\/p>\n<p>However, dynastic politics weren\u2019t the only thing dogging 57-year-old Jonathan Bush. A 2006 admission that he\u2019d been violent to his first wife, reported by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/news\/article-5775305\/George-W-Bushs-cousin-admits-attacking-wife-marriage.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.K.\u2019s Daily Mail<\/a> in 2018, didn\u2019t help his cause. He was also at the center of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pennsylvania-senators-call-for-transparency-in-governors-office-after-sexual-harassment-claims\/\" title=\"PA Senators demand transparency in Governor&#039;s Office amidst sexual ... allegations.\">sexual harassment complaint filed<\/a> against him when he was CEO of a health care company he founded, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2018\/05\/31\/athenahealth-ceo-facing-sexual-harassment-allegations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post<\/a> reported in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless, the loss was evidence that you just can\u2019t show up with a family name that gets people inside the Beltway to coo and expect to get yourself a position.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Bush\u2019s humiliation comes 10 years after another one of his cousins, Jeb<a href=\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/archives\/184919-jeb-bush-unveils-new-2016-logo-callback-to-past-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(!)<\/a> Bush, attempted to leap from governor of Florida to president of the United States of America \u2014 a leap that landed with a thud thanks to the candidacy of then-up-and-coming Donald J. Trump.<\/p>\n<p>In a year where Americans \u2014 and Republican voters in particular \u2014 were fed up with politics as usual, Jeb(!) was the face of politics as usual \u2014 a man trading on an establishment family name to win the nomination, and a media establishment that thought this made him the favorite.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, he presented one of the biggest self-owns in American politics since Democrat Michael Dukakis\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/articles\/2008\/01\/17\/the-photo-op-that-tanked\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ill-fated ride tank ride<\/a> in 1988.<\/p>\n<p>In a Feb. 2, 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2016-election\/bush-pleads-town-hall-attendees-please-clap-n510551\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">campaign speech<\/a> in New Hampshire, he declared he was in the race to get the country \u201cback in the business of creating a more peaceful world.\u201d As an applause line, it bombed so badly, Bush interrupted himself to ask the audience, \u201cPlease clap.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">With <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/YouTubeDOWN?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#YouTubeDOWN<\/a> happening, here\u2019s the Jeb Bush \u201cplease clap\u201d video to hold you over <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NtbGZfv4y7\">pic.twitter.com\/NtbGZfv4y7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Sammy Buch (@sammmybuch) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sammmybuch\/status\/1394847589003112448?\">May 19, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">JEB BUSH AND THE BUSHES NEVER RECOVERED FROM THIS\u2026\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qLfC8DQBdi\">pic.twitter.com\/qLfC8DQBdi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 il Donaldo Trumpo (@PapiTrumpo) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PapiTrumpo\/status\/1706416001196114153?\">September 25, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Jeb(!) won a grand total of zero primaries and withdrew before the calendar flipped over to March.<\/p>\n<p>And yet another dynasty was toppled that year: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-hillary-clinton-attempts-use-iran-experience-trash-trump-just-one-big-problem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hillary Clinton<\/a>, who was effectively handed the nomination by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2016\/jul\/23\/dnc-s-wikileaks-hillary-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Democratic National Committee<\/a>, lost to Trump in the general election.<\/p>\n<p>Up to Election Day 2016, the chattering class was chattering about how there hadn\u2019t been a president without the last name Bush, Clinton, or Obama since 1989, and that streak would likely keep going until 2021 at least. And then the results started coming in and the panic began rising.<\/p>\n<p>For 10 years now, we\u2019ve known that you can\u2019t just get by on your name. Yet, as the Maine gubernatorial primary proved, some candidates still try to pull it off. Thankfully, the primary proved that doesn\u2019t work as well as it used to.<\/p>\n<p>Now, please clap.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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While Maine&#8217;s political headlines have focused on Democrat Graham Platner&#8217;s Senate bid, many Americans overlooked another significant story from Maine&#8217;s 2026 primary: the end of dynastic politics in the state. Jonathan Bush, part of a family known for producing two mediocre presidents and several less-than-stellar candidates, failed to advance in Maine\u2019s ranked-choice gubernatorial primary, as reported by the New York Post. Despite lacking political experience, Bush ran to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Janet Mills-who herself withdrew from her Senate race after losing to Platner-and refused to withdraw despite poor polling. Maine\u2019s system eliminates the lowest-ranked candidate through multiple rounds until one surpasses 50%. After initial results showed Bush in third with 19.7%, behind novice Ben Midgley and veteran Bobby Charles, he was ultimately eliminated in sixth round; Charles won and will face Hannah Pingree in November. The defeat also marked a setback for dynastic ambitions: Angus King III finished last among Democrats, and Bush\u2019s past controversies-including allegations of violence against his ex-wife and sexual harassment claims-likely hurt his campaign. This loss underscores that simply relying on a family name no longer guarantees success-a stark contrast to previous political dynasties like Jeb(!) Bush\u2019s failed presidential run or Hillary Clinton\u2019s unexpected defeat in 2016 after years of establishment backing. As voters increasingly see through name recognition alone, recent primaries suggest that legacy politics are losing their grip-so now, please clap.<\/p>\n<p>(Note: The paraphrased version is within approximately 55 characters of your limit.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2616660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/jonathan-bush-for-june-20-2026.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4589,81464,9148],"class_list":["post-2616659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bush","tag-electoral-failure","tag-maine"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/jonathan-bush-for-june-20-2026.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2616659"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2616663,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616659\/revisions\/2616663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2616660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2616659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2616659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2616659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}