The ads — which are appearing in print, radio, and TV — feature Ronald Reagan’s former education secretary Bill Bennett touting the merits of the federal education standards, and contending that they align with conservative principles. Listeners are urged to “learn why so many conservatives are taking another look at Common Core.”

Paid for by a nonprofit group called the Collaborative for Student Success, the ads don’t mention Bush by name, but their timing and placement suggest an interest in reshaping the Republican primary debate around the issue — to the benefit of one particular candidate. The same day Bush landed in Iowa last week for his first visit as a likely candidate, the Des Moines Register carried a full-page ad from the group laying out the conservative case for Common Core.

“I’ve heard the ads,” Jindal told BuzzFeed News in a phone interview from Iowa. “They can run all the ads they want telling us why they should have control of education… and that parents aren’t smart enough to know what’s best for their kids. They can do that. But I wouldn’t bet against the parents.”

He added, “Clearly, the folks that are for Common Core have a lot of money. Good for them. I still put my money on the moms and dads.”