Miami ? Gov. Jeb Bush has never been afraid to inject his conservative religious beliefs into his politics.

His first year in office, he approved an anti-abortion “Choose Life” license plate vetoed by his predecessor. He has persistently fought the courts to enact tougher abortion laws. He appointed a guardian for the fetus of a retarded rape victim. And now he is trying to save a severely brain-damaged woman from starving to death under court order.

“I’m probably the most pro-life governor in modern times” in Florida, President Bush’s brother said hours before signing a bill Tuesday that allowed him to order Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube reinserted despite a series of court rulings and against the wishes of Schiavo’s husband.

The Republican governor’s extraordinary personal intervention in some very specific cases has raised suspicions that he is engaging in political grandstanding to please the religious right — an important base for his brother during next year’s White House race.

“It may very well be consistent with his religious beliefs, but why single out this particular case?” asked Alan Abramowitz, an Emory University political science professor. “I assume there’s some sense that there’s some political benefit or that there’s some political risk for doing nothing.”

Jeb Bush, for his part, said his actions reflected deeply held beliefs.

“I am pro-life and I believe in the sanctity of life and I don’t think that’s a surprise to anybody,” he said. “It’s been my view. I think life is innocent, life is precious.”

In other developments with the case, Schiavo’s husband reportedly will go to court next week to fight Bush’s order that reinserted Schiavo’s feeding tube, her husband’s attorney said Thursday.

The husband, Michael Schiavo, will go back to the Supreme Court of Florida Monday to challenge the constitutionality of the governor’s actions, attorney George Felos said.

Felos said his client had been bolstered by the outpouring of public support on his behalf.

“He’s a fighter, and he’s feeling in some ways encouraged,” Felos said.