Jeb Bush says he’s all the speculation about whether he’ll run for president in 2016 is actually getting him more attention than if he had already entered the race.

The former Republican governor of Florida says that’s not by design, and that he’ll make his decision before year’s end.

He tells Fox News Channel that the state of politics is “crazy right now.”

Bush says one factor in his decision will be whether he can deliver an optimistic message without getting drawn into a political “mud fight.”

Bush has antagonized many Republicans by supporting an immigration overhaul and educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade known as Common Core.

He says the other main factor in his decision will be whether it’s OK with his family if he ran.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.