Out of the long list of potential 2016 GOP candidates there is only three I can confidently say will run for President. They are New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. All three of these candidates also represent the different wings of the Republican Party. Christie comes from the moderate establishment part of the party, Rand Paul represents many of the Libertarian views and Jindal is the Conservative. These three guys have made many visits to the early primary states. They also have given the best insights on whether or not they will run for President. Based on everything they are doing they will defiantly run in 2016.
Now of course we are not going to have just three Republicans run for President. Wikipedia gives a list of forty four potential candidates. There will defiantly not be forty four candidates running in the Republican Primary. Besides the three I named above the other top names mentioned are:
Now of course we are not going to have just three Republicans run for President. Wikipedia gives a list of forty four potential candidates. There will defiantly not be forty four candidates running in the Republican Primary. Besides the three I named above the other top names mentioned are:
- Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush
I don't see Jeb Bush running for President. Many say he is the Republican Party's best shot at taking back the White House. If George W. Bush left office more popular I think he would run. Yes George W. Bush's popularity is on the rise but for Democrats that won't matter. The Bush family name will also be an attack word for the Democrats. I also think the American people had enough of the same two family's running the country. By that I mean the Bush family and Clinton family. America probably had enough of the Bush last name and I think Jeb Bush knows that. If you would like to see another Bush President I would watch out for Jeb Bush's son George P. Bush.
- Ben Carson
I think there is a good chance that Ben Carson will run in 2016. He has become very popular among conservatives. In recent weeks he has made some movement with starting up his own PAC. The "Run Ben Run" draft movement has also picked up a lot of steam. It raised more money than the "Ready for Hillary" draft movement did. He also is known for selling more books than Hillary Clinton did with her most recent book release. As for Ben Carson winning the GOP nomination no one can tell. All we can base his chances off is past election. We have had past candidates run with no political experience such as Herman Cain in 2012, Steve Forbes in 1996 and 2000, and Pat Buchanan who ran in 1992, 1996 and 2000. Obviously none of these won the nomination.
- Texas Senator Ted Cruz
People always mention Ted Cruz as a possible candidate but I don't know why. He was just elected to the US Senate in 2012. Before that he held office at the state level in Texas. If he was too run he would be in the Senate the same amount of time Obama was in the Senate before he became President. Yes Ted Cruz would be a better President, but that's not to say he has not spent enough time in the Senate. I do not see Cruz running for President in 2016. I certainly see him running for President in the future.
- Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
He was a 2008 Presidential candidate who got his campaign rolling by winning the Iowa caucus. Overall he came in third place in 2008. Huckabee turned down running for President in 2012 and since his loss in 2008 he has had his own Fox News show and made tons of money from it. If he was to run for President he would have to stop his show. I can't see Huckabee doing that. I think Huckabee is very happy with what he is doing now and running for President in 2016 will turn everything upside down.
- Indiana Governor Mike Pence
In 2012 he was encouraged to run but decided against running for President. Instead he deiced to run for Governor of Indiana. Before being Governor he was a Congressman. For the past few months Pence has been hinting at a White House run. His wife is also in favor for a run for President in 2016. The only problem I see for Pence is that he is up for reelection for Governor in 2016. If he was to run for President all his time and energy would be invested in that and not in a campaign for reelection for Governor. As a result he could potentially loose his reelection campaign. If he runs for President and looses in the primary he still would have enough time to transition from his Presidential campaign to a Gubernatorial campaign. Yes candidates have ran for President/Vice President and won that office as well as their current political office. An example of that is Joe Biden. He was elected Vice President but also won his Delaware Senate election that same day. Its a bug risk to do that. Mike Pence also might have a major challenger for his Governor seat. Former two term Indiana Governor and Senator Evan Bayh had been rumored to be thinking about running for Governor of Indiana again. If that was the case Pence would have no choice but to not run for President and focus all his time on a tough reelection campaign for Governor.
- Texas Governor Rick Perry
Perry was one of the 2012 Presidential front runners. After a few bad debate moments his campaign fizzled out. He has said that he is interested in running for President in 2016. Recently Rick Perry became very vocal over immigration and has been challenging Obama on the issue. He deiced not to run for a forth term as Governor which many see as a move to allow him to focus all his time on a Presidential campaign. He just started his own PAC and has made tons of visits to the primary states. On paper Perry has one of the best records out of any of the Governors in the country. I defiantly can see Perry running again.
- Florida Senator Marco Rubio
In 2012 Rubio was seen as a potential Vice Presidential candidate. Now for 2016 he is seen as a Presidential candidate. Coming right out of the 2012 Presidential election Rubio was the clear front runner for the Republican nomination. After a failed immigration plan backed by Rubio which was not in conservatives favor the Rubio buzz kind of died off. As for Rubio running in 2016, he kind of has a similar situation as Pence. Rubio's Senate seat is up for reelection in 2016. According to state law in Florida a candidate can't be on the ballot for two offices. So if Rubio was to run for President and win the Republican nomination he would have to drop out of his reelection campaign for Senate because Florida state law prevents you from being on the ballot twice. It's also the same problem if Rubio was to be a Vice Presidential candidate in 2016. The law could be changed like it was in Kentucky to allow Rand Paul run for President and run for reelection in 2016. Right now there is no sign that the law will be changed. Rubio will have to decide if he wants to be President or to keep his Senate seat. I think he will keep his Senate seat.
- Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan was Mitt Romney's Vice Presidential candidate. Being a Vice Presidential candidate right off the bat makes you a possible Presidential candidate for the following election. Ryan has expressed interest in running but really has not made any major moves with a possible Presidential campaign. The most recent move he made was announcing that he will be doing a book tour this month for his new book "The Way Forward." Book tours are always seen as one of the first steps taken to run for President. People close to him have said that its rather unlikely for Ryan to run for President in 2016. I think it's basically an even chance on whether or not Ryan will run for President.
- Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Santorum came in second place in 2012. He campaign was pretty much going nowhere until he barley won the Iowa Caucus. Usually the second place man always runs for President the following Presidential election. I think there is a good chance Santorum will run again. Polling shows that Santorum is not starting off where he left off in 2012. Instead it is showing where he began in 2012, which is in the low single digits.
- Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
Scott Walker became famous for his union busting polices in Wisconsin which I disagree with. Only recently has he been named as a possible candidate in 2016. When it comes to Scott Walker we really should forget about a 2016 candidacy since there is a chance he could lose reelection this November. He is in a tight heated reelection campaign which polling shows is pretty much a tie. If he looses reelection you can say goodbye to a Presidential campaign by Scott Walker.
And lets not forget the wildcard former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Most are completely writing off Mitt Romney as a candidate in 2016. Even Mitt Romney is writing himself off. The one thing we must know is when it comes to politics the word "no" means nothing. Mitt Romney has recently been getting more involved in politics. He has been campaigning for candidates and endorsing candidates. He has went on talk shows to give his opinion on issues and has been very vocal against the Obama administration. People are writing him off because the think most of the guys listed above are going to run for President. I think a lot of guys that are expected to run or are rumored to run won't run which will leave a gap open for Mitt Romney to jump in.
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