I’m not sure he has what conservatives are looking for on immigration policy. But, for what it’s worth, here’s a little of what I wrote in May about him:

In conversation, at least one experienced political hand agrees that conservatives might vote for the 53-year-old term-limited governor—the first Republican governor reelected in the Sunshine State’s history. “At the end of the day, conservatives are looking for a leader with a proven record of accomplishment, an intellectual understanding of, and commitment to, conservative values with the skill and energy to lead the country in a conservative direction. Jeb is one of the few potential candidates who meets all of those criteria.” Jeb might be just what demoralized conservatives want and need. Time and again, conservatives impressed with his record as Florida governor admit that Jeb Bush would be an obvious—if not the obvious—choice for the GOP in 2008, if it were not for his name. An advocate for school choice, tax relief, spending responsibility, and the sanctity of innocent human life (leading fights for parental-notification and supporting efforts to keep the late Terri Schiavo alive), he’s regularly praised for being a reliable conservative executive—and an effective one at that. Bush also offers something to those who aren’t necessarily ideologically with him. Compare hurricane-management in Louisiana versus Florida as a quick example. My same D.C. observer continues, noting that Bush is “remarkably popular to this day in a state where support for other Republicans is far lower. He is bilingual and comfortable with diverse audiences without being patronizing, and he has done more than his fair share to help other conservative Republicans win in key states around the country.” And look at the map—Florida is a key electoral state for either party to win, and it goes without saying that Bush is popular there.