I agree that there are two many, however look at it this way.
the republicans run so many because they want the voters to have an actual say in who gets the nomination
the democrats as a political party realize that their voting base is pretty much without any intellectual ability to know whats best for them, so the party decides early on who will run and who will not run.
Just makes it easier for the socialists to make sure they get the candidate that will do exactly what the party tells them.
Well, actually, they are running so many because they are hoping that the historical trend of just two terms per party before a change in the winds will hold for 2016. Power allures.
1953-1961 R (8 years)
1961-1969 D (8 years)
1969-1977 R (8 years)
1977-1981 D (4 years)
1981-1993 R (12 years)
1993-2001 D (8 years)
2001-2009 R (8 years)
2009-2017 D (8 years)
The only time span in the last soon to be 64 years where it wasn't 8 and 8 was between 1977 and 1993. Instead, it was 4 and 12.
However, with the USS Hillary out at high Sea, if I were an Elephant, I would not be betting on an automatic win in 2016...