Bush: Conflicted on the death penalty, must be reformed

Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, speaks at the Iowa GOP's Growth and Opportunity Party at the Iowa state fair grounds in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, speaks at the Iowa GOP's Growth and Opportunity Party at the Iowa state fair grounds in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

By Associated Press November 1, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says he’s conflicted about the death penalty.

The former Florida governor says on NBC’s “Meet the Press” he had a hard time “as a human being” signing death warrants, in part because it conflicts with his Catholic faith. He adds that executions take too long to carry out and the years of delay do not help the victims’ families. Bush says he remains a supporter of capital punishment but feels public policy should be reformed.

Florida executed 21 prisoners on Bush’s watch. He was governor from 1999 to 2007.