SALT LAKE CITY — Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush left Utah with a bigger war chest after a fundraising luncheon Tuesday at the home of a former U.S. ambassador.
"We had a successful fundraiser. We had a great trip," Bush said.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, who endorsed Bush earlier this month, Gov. Gary Herbert and former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. were among the estimated 120 people who attended the private event.
"I love Salt Lake City," Bush told KSL Newsradio's Doug Wright in an interview to air Wednesday. "There truly is a Utah way about things, and it should be maybe exported out to Washington, D.C., where civility kind of has been lost for a while."
John Price, former ambassador to Mauritius, and his wife, Marcia, along with Zions Bank President Scott Anderson hosted the fundraiser at the Price home. Some donors paid $10,000 for a seat at the luncheon and a photo op with Bush, while others paid $2,700 to attend.
Bush talked about his general policy views and answered questions for about two hours, according to source who attended the luncheon. He talked about growing the economy, education and even pushed back against Donald Trump, who has tossed a lot of barbs his way.
The former Florida governor is among a pack of GOP candidates running behind Trump. Bush, however, is the leader in Utah, according to UtahPolicy.com.
In his interview with Wright, Bush said that as the frontrunner, Trump needs to explain his positions, such as how he would pay for deporting 11 million immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally.
"Building a wall and making another country pay for it is not a plan. He can't come up with kind of money it would take to do this," Bush said.
He said Trump is vulnerable because he's not an advocate for conservative principles.
On the Iran nuclear deal, Bush said the Obama administration has taken the wrong path.
"I would not have started negotiations with the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world," he said.
Bush said had he entered into talks with Iran, he would have also focused on its efforts to destabilize the Middle East, build ballistic missiles, repress its own people and currently hold three Americans hostage.
"These broader issues need to be on the table," he said. "I would reject this deal out of hand, maintain the sanctions, strengthen them and get a better deal."
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