George P. Bush wins first election. Too soon to talk about White House 2024?

George P. Bush, son of Jeb Bush, won his first election Tuesday, something many of his esteemed family forebears never did. He'll be Texas land commissioner – and on a familiar glide path to higher office in Texas ... and beyond?

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David J. Phillip/AP
George P. Bush speaks after winning the race for Texas land commissioner Tuesday in Austin, Texas.

George P. Bush has won his first election. The son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and wife Columba Bush, George P. was elected Texas land commissioner in a landslide.

His father, his uncle George W. Bush, and grandfather George H. W. Bush all lost their initial forays into electoral politics. So did great-grandfather and former Sen. Prescott Bush. So P. (can we call him that?) already has bragging rights in his family.

Dad was properly proud.

Land commissioner is a substantial position in the Lone Star State. The Texas General Land Office manages state-controlled lands and mineral rights. It also controls the Alamo, which is state-owned, so there’s symbolism too. If P plays by the rules, shores up his right wing with continued shrewd moves – he was an early endorser of Ted Cruz for Senate – then he’s got a chance of rising fast in state politics.

As Karen Tumulty wrote recently in the Washington Post, many in Texas think it’s almost inevitable that he’ll run for governor some day, quite likely against Julian Castro, former San Antonio mayor and current secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

And then ... OK, we’ve been responsible enough, when is he going to run against Chelsea Clinton for the White House?

Hmm, let’s see, if Hillary Clinton wins in 2016, he could make a bid as early as 2020.... He might seem young, though, and it’s chancy to run against an incumbent. He’d be better off to wait until the next time it’s an open election, meaning 2024.

If some non-Bush Republican wins in two years, the same calculus holds. If his dad wins, it might take longer – somehow we don’t see voters electing a son to follow a father, presuming that dad wins a second term.

That would be fun if he tried it, though. It would be even more fun – we’re just dreaming here – if his opponent was Chelsea Clinton, out to avenge her mother’s defeat by P’s dad.

Or if he does wait, he could even run against ... we’re really just riffing here ... Hillary Clinton’s granddaughter!

Others are thinking along these same lines.

So really, we're just being sensible here.

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