Right to Rise

Right to Rise
Name	Right to Rise
Type	Political action committee
Founded	2015
Founder	Jeb Bush, Ken Cuccinelli
Headquarters	Miami, Florida
Key people	Jeb Bush, Paul Lindsay, Brian Walsh
Area served	United States
Focus	Public policy, political advocacy

Right to Rise was a political action committee and policy initiative associated with Jeb Bush during the 2016 United States presidential election cycle. It combined campaign fundraising, policy advocacy, and communications to promote a platform of market-oriented reforms tied to Bush's candidacy. The organization aligned with conservative and centrist networks, engaging with donors, think tanks, and state-level actors to advance proposals on taxation, regulation, and social policy.

Background and Origins

Right to Rise emerged from the 2016 Republican presidential primary environment following Jeb Bush's entry into the race, building on Bush family political ties to George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, and longstanding connections with Republican Party donors. Its formation drew on relationships with major political fundraisers linked to Michael Bloomberg-era networks, Koch Industries-aligned donors, and donor-advised structures in New York City and Palm Beach County. Early strategists referenced policy frameworks popularized by Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, and Cato Institute scholars, while outreach targeted influential figures from Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Middle East philanthropic circles. The committee registered in accordance with Federal Election Campaign Act reporting rules and coordinated messaging with Bush's presidential campaign apparatus.

Principles and Policy Proposals

Right to Rise articulated a suite of proposals emphasizing tax reform, regulatory relief, and education change. Its tax proposals echoed themes from Tax Reform Act of 1986-era thinkers and discussions in Congressional Budget Office analyses, proposing rate consolidation and business incentives similar to proposals debated in House Ways and Means Committee hearings. On regulatory policy, the initiative borrowed from deregulatory agendas championed by leaders in Office of Management and Budget discussions and by advisors with ties to Business Roundtable and National Federation of Independent Business. Education proposals referenced school choice proponents associated with KIPP, Teach For America, and scholarship models promoted in Florida state reforms under Jeb Bush's governorship. Additional policy areas included criminal justice ideas discussed alongside advocates linked to The Marshall Project and immigration concepts seen in conversations involving Department of Homeland Security officials and Border Patrol stakeholders.

Implementation and Programs

Right to Rise combined policy papers, donor briefings, and public events to advance implementation. It released position documents circulated to staff on Capitol Hill and to senior staffers within potential administration planning groups. The organization held forums in locations including Miami, New York City, and Washington, D.C., convening figures from National Governors Association, state legislatures, and private-sector executives. Programmatic proposals suggested pilot projects echoing initiatives run by Florida Department of Education during Bush's governorship, proposed tax code pilots similar to experiments in Colorado and North Carolina, and recommended regulatory waivers modeled after waivers granted under Every Student Succeeds Act discussions. Right to Rise funded consultants who engaged with law firms experienced in Federal Register rulemaking and with policy shops that had previously worked with Bush Administration alumni.

Critical Reception and Controversies

Right to Rise attracted scrutiny over fundraising, influence, and policy priorities. Critics from Democratic National Committee operatives, progressive groups associated with Center for American Progress, and investigative units in The New York Times questioned donor transparency and coordination with the Bush campaign. Skeptics drew parallels to controversy surrounding donor networks in the 2012 presidential election and debates about the role of political action committees after Citizens United v. FEC. Coverage by outlets including The Washington Post, Politico, and The Guardian highlighted tensions between technocratic policy advocacy and grassroots conservative movements represented by figures like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Internal assessments noted fundraising challenges relative to other super PACs such as those supporting Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio, and observers linked strategic disagreements to underperformance in primary polling events in states like Iowa and South Carolina.

Political Impact and Advocacy

Though ultimately tied to an unsuccessful presidential bid, Right to Rise influenced policy debates within the Republican field by elevating proposals on taxation, education, and regulatory reform. Its advocacy informed discussions in House Republican Study Committee briefings and was cited by state conservative coalitions in Florida and Texas as they pursued legislative agendas. Donor convenings hosted by Right to Rise created networks that later funded other policy initiatives and campaigns linked to figures in Republican Governors Association circles. The group's materials circulated among appointees in transition planning and were referenced during confirmation hearings for candidates associated with conservative regulatory philosophy.

Comparative and International Perspectives

Analysts compared Right to Rise to policy-focused political vehicles in other democracies, drawing analogies with donor-backed organizations tied to leaders such as David Cameron-era think tanks in United Kingdom and market reform groups that influenced cabinets in Australia and Canada. Comparative studies examined the interaction between super PAC-style entities in the United States and party funding mechanisms regulated by bodies like the Electoral Commission (United Kingdom), highlighting differences in disclosure regimes and legal constraints. International observers of American politics cited Right to Rise when mapping how donor networks shape policy platforms across advanced democracies and when comparing advocacy models in contexts such as European Union policy coalitions and Commonwealth-aligned political foundations.

Category:Political action committees