Bush cousin who once apologized for giving his wife a black eye mounts run for governor

Entrepreneur Jonathan Bush, a cousin of former President George W. Bush and brother of television and radio personality Billy Bush, is running to be Maine's next governor in a "crowded race."

The Republican, who stepped down from his role as CEO of Athenahealth Inc. over allegations of misconduct involving women, announced his campaign on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported. He co-founded the company in 2018 and made his announcement in Belfast, Maine, outside the company's office, with his brother helping to host.

“I’m running for governor to slam the brakes on the defeatist notion that somehow Maine can’t do better,” Bush said. “I am a disruptor, a job creator, and a fanatic Maine optimist, and when I’m governor this age of pessimism will end.”

Bush is among multiple candidates running to take Gov. Janet Mills' seat. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Angus King III, the son of Maine's independent U.S. senator, are Democrats vying for the position.

Mills has served the state for eight years and is expected to announce a run for U.S. Senate. She could face off against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has been in office since 1997 and told Politico this summer she intends to seek a sixth term.

Bush had clashed with hedge fund Elliott Investment Management over pressure to sell the company.

"After Bush’s exit, Elliott and Veritas Capital acquired Athenahealth in 2019 for about $5.7 billion and combined it with a GE Healthcare business," Bloomberg reports. "They sold the resulting operation to Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman LLC for $17 billion in 2022."

Bush apologized for reportedly punching his ex-wife in the sternum and giving her a black eye. He also had complaints against him regarding inappropriate behavior with female employees at the company.

Bloomberg reports a 2017 video clip showing Bush at a health care industry event dressed up as a race car driver, sometimes reading from a cue card and performing the character in the 2006 comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." In the video, he reportedly says he wanted to “jump down on” a female employee “and do inappropriate things.”