As the race to the White House heats up and the current focus is on Republican candidates, the country is considering who may be the best or worst choice for president. But when the elected head of state is sworn in, their spouse will also be granted an important role. But who will potentially have the responsibility of working diligently to improve social issues while their other half runs the free world?
The current first lady, Michelle Obama, has been extremely influential during her tenure. In January 2010, Obama spearheaded the Let’s Move! initiative as an attempt to eradicate America’s widespread childhood obesity problem. She also promoted growing gardens with her 2012 book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.
If the next president of the United States is Republican, will the first lady or gentleman be able to exceed Mrs. Obama and past presidents’ wives in creating relevant initiatives to make the country a better place? You be the judge.
Meet the GOP’s potential first spouses — excluding Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is unwed.
Columba Bush
Born Columba Garnica Gallo, the wife of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is a Mexican-American immigrant who met her husband while he was on a high school trip to Mexico. The couple married 41 years ago and have three children — George P. Bush, Noelle Bush, and John Ellis Bush Jr. Columba, who was first lady of Florida for eight years, has been involved in worthy causes such as the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, The Atlantic reported. It has been said that she holds very little interest in politics, even telling a reporter in 2001 that she and Jeb mostly “talk about our daughter and sons, and cats and dogs and silly things.” She will be the first Hispanic first lady if Jeb is elected.
