Handicapping the 2016 GOP Race

[JoeB131]

Okay, here they come, lining up at the gate.

Jeb Bush- Advantages: Strong name recognition, ex-governor of a major swing state. Good relationship with Hispanics Disadvantage: His name is Bush.


Chris Christie Advantage: Sensible no-nonsense governor with a reputation of being able to cut through the political bullshit and get things done Disadvantages: Screwed working folks. Right wingers will never forgive him for saying nice things about Obama. Fat.

Rand Paul Advantage: Inherited enthusiastic followers from his dad. Disadvantage: Inherited Batshit crazy from his dad.

Paul Ryan Advantage: Still has a following in the wing that reads Ayn Rand and hates poor people. Disadvantage: Being linked with Romney's failed run has hurt his rep.

Rick Perry Advantage: Governor of a large state, has an extensive bank of donors. Disadvantage: His 2012 run made him look bad, and he'll have to work hard to overcome that.

Rick Santorum Advantage: Came in second in the primaries, usually a huge advantage for the next time. Popular with the religious types you need to win IA and SC. Disadvantage: Closely linked with the ultra-right social conservative issues that the GOP establishment wants to get away from.

Mike Huckabee Advantage: Affable guy who has learned a lot about how to use media effectively. Disadvantage: Four dead cops killed by someone he pardoned.

Mitch Daniels Advantage: Solid conservative governor with a good rep on job growth. Disadvantage: Has some weird family problems, dull as dishwater.

Anyone want to add anything.

Please limit discussion to potential Republican Candidates. Do not waste time on rants about how bad the Democrats are or how Obama is the Anti-Christ.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Okay, here they come, lining up at the gate.

Jeb Bush- Advantages: Strong name recognition, ex-governor of a major swing state. Good relationship with Hispanics Disadvantage: His name is Bush.


Chris Christie Advantage: Sensible no-nonsense governor with a reputation of being able to cut through the political bullshit and get things done Disadvantages: Screwed working folks. Right wingers will never forgive him for saying nice things about Obama. Fat.

Rand Paul Advantage: Inherited enthusiastic followers from his dad. Disadvantage: Inherited Batshit crazy from his dad.

Paul Ryan Advantage: Still has a following in the wing that reads Ayn Rand and hates poor people. Disadvantage: Being linked with Romney's failed run has hurt his rep.

Rick Perry Advantage: Governor of a large state, has an extensive bank of donors. Disadvantage: His 2012 run made him look bad, and he'll have to work hard to overcome that.

Rick Santorum Advantage: Came in second in the primaries, usually a huge advantage for the next time. Popular with the religious types you need to win IA and SC. Disadvantage: Closely linked with the ultra-right social conservative issues that the GOP establishment wants to get away from.

Mike Huckabee Advantage: Affable guy who has learned a lot about how to use media effectively. Disadvantage: Four dead cops killed by someone he pardoned.

Mitch Daniels Advantage: Solid conservative governor with a good rep on job growth. Disadvantage: Has some weird family problems, dull as dishwater.

Anyone want to add anything.

Please limit discussion to potential Republican Candidates. Do not waste time on rants about how bad the Democrats are or how Obama is the Anti-Christ.

John Huntsman Advantage: Sane moderate conservative governor with real foreign policy credentials. Disadvantage: Linked to Romney because he is both Mormon and wealthy plus he worked for Obama administration.

Rick Perry Advantage: Likable with name recognition. Disadvantage: Pandering to the extreme right and unprepared.

Marco Rubio Advantage: Conservative Latino. Disadvantage: One issue candidate.

 

[Old Rocks]

Actually John Huntsman would be a good candidate among the general population. Sane middle of the road political views, acknowledges science, and has a very solid record as a governor. But he will never make it past the right wingnuts in the GOP primary.

 

[JoeB131]

Ohh- I forgot Marco.

I did include Perry.

I just don't see a future for Huntsman. Romney got as far as he did because he pretended to be right wing and the Evangelicals forgot he was a Mormon.

Huntsman isn't willing to meet them halfway.

 

[NightFox]

Mitch Daniels Advantage: Solid conservative governor with a good rep on job growth. Disadvantage: Has some weird family problems, dull as dishwater.

Hmmm... the Harley Davidson Governor "dull as dishwater"? not sure I buy that one, on the other hand I might be the only one that finds his tooling around Indiana on his Harley & "meetin' the folks" escapades and the fact that actually knows what he's talking about most of the time a refreshing change from the norm.

 

[JoeB131]

Actually John Huntsman would be a good candidate among the general population. Sane middle of the road political views, acknowledges science, and has a very solid record as a governor. But he will never make it past the right wingnuts in the GOP primary.

I always think the whole "We need to have a moderate" argument falls flat. Usually, the kind of people who want that in a Republican candidate won't vote for a Republian if there is a perfectly serviceable liberal to vote for.

Now again, I was pretty right wing up until 2008, but what amazed me is that all the folks who praised John McCain for how "sensible" he was from when Bush beat him in 2000 were nowhere to be found when he ran in 2008.

 

[rightwinger]

Good summary

I see Christie, Bush, Ryan and Rubio as solid potential candidates

The rest appeal to the lunatic fringe of the party and have no chance. Also look for a bunch of other nutjob candidates to come out of the woodwork. Expect a bigger circus than we saw in 2012

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I'd be surprised if we still have a country by 2016

 

[rightwinger]

Mitch Daniels Advantage: Solid conservative governor with a good rep on job growth. Disadvantage: Has some weird family problems, dull as dishwater.

Hmmm... the Harley Davidson Governor "dull as dishwater"? not sure I buy that one, on the other hand I might be the only one that finds his tooling around Indiana on his Harley & "meetin' the folks" escapades and the fact that actually knows what he's talking about most of the time a refreshing change from the norm.

His Harley is interesting, Daniels isn't

 

[JoeB131]

Mitch Daniels Advantage: Solid conservative governor with a good rep on job growth. Disadvantage: Has some weird family problems, dull as dishwater.

Hmmm... the Harley Davidson Governor "dull as dishwater"? not sure I buy that one, on the other hand I might be the only one that finds his tooling around Indiana on his Harley & "meetin' the folks" escapades and the fact that actually knows what he's talking about most of the time a refreshing change from the norm.

I like the guy. He's one of the few Republicans I'd consider voting for from that list.

BUT-

not exciting.

And then there's that stuff with his wife. (For those playing along at home, Mrs. Daniels left him and the kids for a few years, married another guy, divorced him and came back to Daniels. Might raise a couple eyebrows in the "Family Values" crowd.)

 

[The Rabbi]

I'd be surprised if we still have a country by 2016

All elections will be banned by Executive Order.

 

[JoeB131]

I'd be surprised if we still have a country by 2016

Oh, sure we will.

It just won't be one where people like you are taken seriously.

Why you ever were to start with is the really interesting question.

 

[NightFox]

I'd be surprised if we still have a country by 2016

What makes you think "we" still have a country RIGHT NOW ? take a look at who's actually running things and what they've been up to while the "we" have been busy with our bread & circuses.

"So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause." -- Padme Amidala

 

[JoeB131]

Duly noted Frank and Rabbid couldn't discuss the topic of GOP hopefuls without going into anti-Obama rants.

Psst. Psst. Guys. Obama won't be running in 2016.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Ohh- I forgot Marco.

I did include Perry.

I just don't see a future for Huntsman. Romney got as far as he did because he pretended to be right wing and the Evangelicals forgot he was a Mormon.

Huntsman isn't willing to meet them halfway.

Doh! Need some caffeine this morning.

 

[JoeB131]

I think Marco was the "See, we aren't racist. Marco's hispanic and we don't have him parking the cars" Token.

But once he started advocating meaningful immigration reform, he was kind of done.

Another one I think you might see a future for is Ted Cruz.

 

[Old Rocks]

Thus far, to me, anyway, Cruz has come across as a latterday McCarthy.

 

[blackhawk]

What's the point of this thread according to the left Hillary has already won the 2016 election.

 

[NightFox]

I like the guy. He's one of the few Republicans I'd consider voting for from that list.

BUT-

not exciting.

Fair enough, everyone has their own viewpoints on what makes for an interesting (or exciting) candidate and what doesn't.

Of course to be perfectly honest I don't see anybody on your list that I'd be ready to cast my vote for, not because it's a bad list or anything, simply because it's full of career (or wannabe career) politicians that are IMHO... same wolf, different hide.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Actually John Huntsman would be a good candidate among the general population. Sane middle of the road political views, acknowledges science, and has a very solid record as a governor. But he will never make it past the right wingnuts in the GOP primary.

I always think the whole "We need to have a moderate" argument falls flat. Usually, the kind of people who want that in a Republican candidate won't vote for a Republian if there is a perfectly serviceable liberal to vote for.

Now again, I was pretty right wing up until 2008, but what amazed me is that all the folks who praised John McCain for how "sensible" he was from when Bush beat him in 2000 were nowhere to be found when he ran in 2008.

You are right about the "rank-and-file" always voting for whatever candidate the party provides irrespective of their viability or suitability for the job. The candidate who wins is the one who can sway the non-aligned moderates in the middle. So the candidate has to have something that is going to appeal to those moderates. When you look at Ford, Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Bush Sr, Dole, Gore, Kerry, McCain and Romney they all failed to convince the moderates that they were the person who could do a better job in the Whitehouse.