A Jeb Bush Speech Ups Speculation of a 2016 Run

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Credit Lance Shearer/Special to the Daily News

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be a "headliner" next month at the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland.

The CPAC meeting on March 14-16, 2013 is labeled as the "largest gathering of conservative leaders and activists."

“We are pleased to announce that my friend Governor Jeb Bush will be a featured speaker at CPAC 2013,” ACU Chairman Al Cardenas stated in a press release. “We look forward to welcoming Governor Jeb Bush to the CPAC stage for the first time in March.”

The fact that Bush agreed to be a featured speaker at CPAC is fueling speculation. Newsmax.com calls it, "a clear sign that he is mulling a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016."

Bush will be joining fellow Floridian U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and other confirmed speakers including: former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, former Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, former U.S. Rep. Allen West and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.