How Much is Jeb Bush Worth?

Jeb Bush was worth more than $1.3 million when he left the Florida governor's mansion in 2007, and since then he's reportedly earned millions more in the private sector in what has been described by journalists and pundits as a "rush to make money."

Bush has been paid more than $8 million since leaving office, according to a New York Times analysis in 2014. That includes $3.2 million from serving on the boards of public companies and giving more than 100 speeches for which he was paid at least $50,000 each.


While the details of Bush's net worth are not publicly available given his move from public to private life, his pursuit of wealth is well documented and will likely become a point of contention should he seek any public office in the future.

Issue in 2016 Presidential Campaign

Bush's net worth is certain to become an issue in the 2016 presidential race, should he decide to seek the Republican nomination. That's because of his reported aggressive quest for wealth in the years since he left the governor's mansion in Florida.

Some political analysts have said they believe Bush would face similar hurdles connecting to middle-class Americans as did 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, one of the wealthiest candidates to seek the White House in modern history.

Related: See What's On Mitt Romney's Tax Returns

“Running as the second coming of Mitt Romney is not a credential that’s going to play anywhere, with Republicans or Democrats. Not only would this be problematic on the campaign trail, I think it also signals someone who isn’t seriously looking at the presidency or he wouldn’t have gone down this path,” Republican consultant John Brabender told Bloomberg Politics in 2014.

Rush to Make Money

Bush entered the Florida governor's mansion in 1999 worth about $2 million, according to published reports detailing his personal finances. In his eight years as governor, Bush would tell reporters "his family finances suffered because of his public service," according to the Tampa Bay Times. He left office with a net worth of $1.3 million.

In their book about the 2012 presidential campaign, Double Down, journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann describe Bush's quest for wealth as a driving factor behind his decision not to seek the Republican nomination that year. He said he wanted to pursue greater wealth instead.

"The former Florida governor was telling everyone the same thing he'd told Romney: he planned to stay on the bench. It wasn't so much concerns about a Bush hangover that were keeping Jeb there. It was his bank account. You don't understand, Bush would say to the Republican poo-bahs begging him to run. I was in the real-estate development business in my state. There was a huge bubble, but I missed out because I was governor for eight years. So I'm starting from scratch. If, God forbid, I'm in an accident tomorrow—I'm in a wheelchair drooling, saliva coming from my mouth—who's going to take care of me? What are my wife and kids going to do? I've got to look after my family. This is my chance to do it."

Sources of Income

Bush has earned his money in the private sector from speaking and consulting work in the financial services industry, including private equity. Among the firms he's been associated with are Lehman Brothers and Barclays.