What do people think? Romney for another shot? Romney Leads In Key Primary State Poll Mitt Romney, Round Three? A poll released this week in a key presidential primary state found that the 2012 Republican nominee is still the preferred 2016 choice among a crucial cohort of voters. The Purple Strategies poll placed Romney as the 2016 front-runner for the Republican nomination in New Hampshire with 25 percent of the vote. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) followed at 18 percent, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ranked third at 17 percent.
Sure; Reagan, HW Bush, McCain and Gore were all second-timers, there could be diminishing resentment about his banking background as we get further away from 2008, and Romney could represent a compromise candidate on Healthcare and possibly some social issues. But so could Christie, and this issue hasn't been fully resolved or fleshed out.
It would be similar to Bob Dole in 1996. Barring an unforeseen major event, Romney would be certain roadkill against Hillary but not a landslide disaster like Rand Paul or Mike Huckabee.
Keep in mind this would be being a 3rd timer for Romney, and the first time in a while that a losing general election candidate tried again. I still say Rand Paul is going to end up the nominee (and then get crushed in the general). There's something unique about him and his ability to appeal to various factions in the party.
This is funny to read in retrospect. You could convert it into Christie mad libs Chris Christie- the only candidate to put __ before __ !
I'm pretty disappointed. I want a choice for a change, though I'm a pretty big Hillary supporter. Pragmatic and committed to the country.
She raised some red flags for me in 2008 by pandering and endorsing policies like the "gas tax holiday," which is about as close as you can get to an objectively dumb economic policy. Now, I might actually support countercyclical adjustments in gas taxes along with an increase in the average rate of taxation, but that wasn't on the table at all. Right now we need someone with more backbone than that, IMO, but it's a bit of a nitpicky complaint on my part.
I agree with this. It's a pity Christie has blown a tire. He would have made an interesting candidate for the GOP to run against Hillary, assuming he could have gotten the nomination, not a sure thing at all. In fact, unlikely, given the influence of the extremist "tea party" faction of the Republican Party. Clinton would have beaten him, but the campaign would have been highly entertaining, in my opinion. So who do they put at the head of the ticket? I can't think of anyone with a chance who would appeal to the vast majority of Americans who are perched somewhere in the middle, politically.
Is the pizza guy running again?. He had sort of roguish good charm when not pinching the pizza girls in the butt, and had a good singing voice. Oops Perry and Bachman are going to need a job and running for the GOP presidential nomination if nothing else usually insures a job in right wing talk radio or Fox.
Seeing this strong lineup of Republican candidates, I wonder if the Democrats will just concede and shoot for 2024.
He and his minister dad believe that God has ordained Ted to be president so he will probably run. The Koch Brothers and "libertarian" money will be strong for him, too.
The Republicans will have a candidate emerge and at a minimum make it very close, if not win. People thought the same thing about the Dem's field in 1992 before Slick Willie emerged from the ashes like a Phoenix..... No one thought Junior num-num had a chance in 2000 early on, and he half assed it to the White House. I still think that Governor Big Hair will try to make a push.... and take credit for the robust economy in Texas. Hillary better hope that the economy improves and that people are more on board with the ACA..... also, I hope Slick Willie hasn't got his whistle blown lately, that would sink her run.
So what happens if all the candidates for the nomination claim to have been told by God that they should run? And what happens in the world when the President of the United States claims that God talks to him?
I don't have anything to base this on, but I keep having this feeling that it's going to be Jeb Bush. I don't think he would stand a chance though.
Unless he suddenly discovers a far right "tea party" friendly agenda, and any charisma at all, I just don't see him winning enough primaries. The biggest problem the GOP has, and it's been a problem for a few years now, is that their nominating process has largely been captured by the extremists from the co-opted "tea party" wing of the GOP. They ardently courted the seeds of their own destruction, in my opinion. Until the Repuiblican Party disowns the "tea party" extremists, they are going to continue to have problems winning the White House, again in my humble opinion.
They are taking some interesting steps to do just that with the way they are shortening and restructuring primaries and how delegates are distributed. I'm not sure it will work the way they hope - which is to support establishment candidates - but I think it will quickly narrow the field so there aren't 6 people still running a month or two into the campaign. It could help the establishment candidate or it could filter the race down to establishment vs tea party pretty quickly (which may actually benefit the tea partier in a situation like 2012).
