RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - It's not official yet, but former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was testing the presidential fundraising waters in North Carolina Friday at an invitation-only event in Raleigh.

The Raleigh News & Observer reports that Bush met with well-heeled potential donors such as former ambassador Jim Cain from the George W. Bush administration, SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, and John Kane of Kane Realty Corp. among others.

Bush, a Republican, would face a growing field of candidates should he dedice to officially declare as a candidate for president. Some Republicans believe he is a good mix of moderate and conservative views that would appeal to a large segment of the electorate, while others say he is too aligned with moderate business interests the conservative wing of the party doesn't endorse.