From former Gov. Jeb Bush’s spokeswoman, Kristy Campbell:

Governor Bush is not considering a 2010 gubernatorial run in Florida. He will continue to play a constructive role in the future of the Republican Party, advocating conservative solutions to the 21st century challenges we face, specifically in the area of education.

It’s official.

After months of speculation, Republican Charlie Crist announced this morning he will forgo a second term as governor and instead run for the open U.S. Senate seat in 2010.

“Here in Florida, we’ve shown that when we put people first and work together much can be accomplished, and I intend to bring that same approach to Washington,” Crist said in a statement.

“That is why, after thoughtful consideration with my wife Carole, I have decided to run for the U.S. Senate.”

(Read the statement here.)

Crist is the first governor to decline a re-election bid since voters amended the constitution in 1968 to let the state’s chief executive seek a second four-year term.

It will be Crist’s fourth campaign in 10 years, all for different statewide elected seats. No other Florida politician has been elected to four different statewide seats.

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The announcement was met with an immediate endorsement from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. (Read that statement here.)

The endorsement is significant considering Crist’s announcement creates a GOP primary with former House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami. Rubio has indicated he would remain in the race even if “more famous” candidates entered.

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Jeb Bush, who turns 55 today, decided to give John McCain a gift – his endorsement.

Golly. . .when was the Florida primary?

The Q bets Mike Huckabee is really steamed – there goes the election.

In a statement from the McCain campaign both men say the other is really swell.

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The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page sharply criticized Gov. Crist today with a little help from former Gov. Jeb Bush.

The Journal is unhappy with Florida taking on much of the insurance risk in the event of a major hurricane.

Using the headline – Hurricane Jeb

From the Journal: Mr. Bush criticizing states that are crafting disaster insurance plans “that are as bad as the natural disasters themselves.” Which states? “My beloved state of Florida has taken steps along that path.” Ouch.

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It looked like Katherine Harris was going to miss Thursday’s rally in Orlando with President Bush and Charlie Crist.

Harris’ schedule showed her participating in votes in Washington Thursday and then attending the River City Republican Club in Atlantic Beach, near Jacksonville, around the same time as the evening rally.

That prompted reporters Tuesday to question Crist and Jeb Bush about why Harris wasn’t going to be there.

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HIALEAH — Florida Republicans saw the close of the Jeb Bush era in a small Cuban restaurant Thursday just an hour before lunch.

Few noticed.

But the moment was clear. Gov. Bush, who for 12 years has dominated the Florida Republican Party, stood before the packed crowd in Chico’s and, after a few brief remarks, said, “I would like to introduce my friend, the next governor of the state of Florida, Charlie Crist.”

Then as Bush moved to the back of the stage, the crowd began chanting, “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!” Some in the largely Cuban-American crowd used the Spanish “Carlito!”

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Gov. Jeb Bush has used his recently revived nonprofit foundation to pay a former campaign finance director and two former campaign aides.

Although Bush has said his Foundation for Florida’s Future is not a way of keeping his political machine intact after he leaves office early next year, recent disclosures on the foundation’s Web site show that it paid:

• Nearly $99,000 to Ann Herberger, Bush’s campaign finance director during two campaign and a longtime political fund-raiser for his family.

• Nearly $70,000 to Neil Newhouse of Washington-based GOP Public Opinion Strategies group for polling last October.

• $48,000 for “management services” to a lobbying and public-affairs firm whose staff includes Mandy Clark and Mandy Fletcher. Both worked on Bush’s reelection campaign and on his brother’s presidential reelection campaign.

• $23,500 for “legal services” from the Washington law and lobbying firm Patton Boggs.

• $20,000 in February to GOP political strategist Adam Goodman’s The Victory Group Inc.

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ST. PETERSBURG — Florida’s four candidates for governor offered strikingly different views of the state’s education system Friday with Republicans talking about great gains and Democrats arguing that Florida schools have suffered severe setbacks.

Gov. Jeb Bush and the GOP led legislature have brought the state better schools, more accountability and higher scores in reading, argued GOP candidates Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher.

Not so, said Democrats Jim Davis and Rod Smith. Both argued that Republicans have turned schools into testing centers while failing to increase teacher pay and reduce class size. “I’m proud of what Gov. Bush has done to bring more accountability to schools,” said Crist, Florida’s attorney general.

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A new national CNN poll has surprisingly bad numbers for Jeb Bush.

Here’s excerpts from CNN’s report:

With the presidential election more than two years away, a CNN poll released Monday suggests that nearly half of Americans would “definitely not vote for” Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Among the Republicans, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani fared better than the Democrats, and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush fared worse.

Only 30 percent said they would “definitely not vote for” Giuliani; 34 percent said that of McCain.

As for Bush, brother of the current president, 63 percent said there was no way he would get their vote. The younger Bush has denied interest in running for president in 2008.

Read more here.

Jeb Bush’s future has been the object of speculation nationwide, but the governor with just six months left in his eight-year tenure has let on more about what he won’t do than what he will.

National Football League commissioner? Nah. Presidential candidate? Nope. U.S. senator? No way.

Whatever may be in store for Bush, one thing is certain: He won’t be idling on the sidelines watching his legacy quietly fade away.

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After eight years of fighting teachers unions and Democrats over his education policies, Gov. Jeb Bush said he is confident that the reforms will stand up on their own after he leaves office in January.

“Of all the things that I’ve been involved in, this is the one where my passions lie,” Bush said. “This is the one that you can’t expect immediate gratification. It requires continuous stick-to-it-iveness.”

- From Dara Kam of The Post’s Tallahassee bureau

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It’s no secret that Gov. Jeb Bush is a die-hard Hurricanes fan.

But, although other members of the Bush family watching the NBA finals might be torn over which team to root for – the Dallas Mavericks or the Miami Heat – for the governor, it’s a no-brainer.

Although Bush said he fell asleep halfway through the third quarter of Tuesday night’s game, he’s a Heats fan through and through.

“I’m from Florida. When I signed up, I signed up for the full monty,

Q was looking at this photograph from the Associated Press and couldn’t help wondering – What was Jeb thinking?

Here’s AP’s caption for the photo:

“President Bush, second from right, speaks to reporters during his meeting with governors regarding the line item veto in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Thursday, June 8, 2006 in Washington. Pictured from left are Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine; Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt; President Bush; Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.”