Former Gov. Jeb Bush just swung through Southwest Florida for a fundraising dinner, and supporters don’t expect that to be the last time he visits the region before Florida’s March 15 presidential primary. “Jeb has got lots of friends here,” said Tramm Hudson, who hosted a $1,000-per-plate dinner at his Longboat Key home Monday. 

Bush served as governor of Florida from 1998 to 2006, when he was term-limited. When he entered the presidential contest, he was early on considered a frontrunner, though he has fallen in polls since then. But he remains well-funded, and Hudson was confident as actual elections neared, Bush would perform better than the polls indicate today. “There is a difference between public opinion, which polls capture in a snapshot in time, and public judgment, which comes when the facts are all known and all has been heard,” Hudson said. “The voters usually come to the right decision.” Host committee members for the Monday dinner included U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, state Sen. Bill Galvano and former lawmakers Lisa Carlton, John McKay, Pat Neal and Will Weatherford.

The Bush visit comes amid notable political activity in the region this month. Nuerosurgeon Ben Carson, another contender for the Republican nomination, came to Sarasota earlier this month with his book tour, and developer Donald Trump, the top-polling Republican, is expected to hold a rally in Sarasota this Saturday.