Reuters, Washington :Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush starts his presidential bid with strong name recognition but only lukewarm support from the Republican moderates whose backing he will need to capture his party’s nomination, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.The poll points to potential problems ahead for the party’s best-known candidate, who is banking on support from moderates to make up for his limited appeal among the conservative voters who play an outsize role in the Republican nominating process.Some 14 percent of Republicans say Bush is their favored candidate for the November 2016 election, putting him at the head of a crowded Republican field despite his limited appeal among the most ardent conservatives.Bush’s front-runner status stems from his relative strength among the moderates who account for more than half of all voters in the party. Bush wins the support of 18 percent of these voters, at least six points ahead of his nearest rival, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.But interviews with a dozen Republican voters indicate that Bush’s support isn’t especially firm at this point in the race, when few voters are paying close attention.
