Monday, May 16, 2011

GOP Presidential hopefuls

It's been slow go for potential 2012 GOP Presidential contenders to throw their hat into the ring.  I'm not quite sure what the hold up is, with the economy still struggling along, with the impressive wins by the GOP last fall and with the momentum gained from the the 'tea party' you'd think that candidates would be lining up for a chance to run.  Perhaps they feel that 2016 is a safer bet, I don't know.  Anyways, it's not a very impressive list thus far.

IN:
Newt Gingrich - his 3 marriages will turn away the morals group, his rhetoric will turn away moderates
Ron Paul - some tea party support, little GOP support, probably too libertarian for most in the GOP
Gary Johnson - who? nobody knows him, no chance.

UNDECIDED:
Mitt Romney - I don't see him overcoming his MA healthcare plan. 
Tim Pawlenty - probably the fewest negatives of all the candidates but he doesn't excite many either
John Huntsman - he may be hurt by his connections to the Obama administration
Mitch Daniels - he may be hurt by his connections to the GWB administration
Sarah Palin - high negatives outside of the far right, grasp of issues still lacking
Michelle Bachmann - tea party favorite, nobody else's favorite, not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Rick Santorum - may try to carry the 'morals' wing of the party   
Herman Cain - let get serious, an African American will not win the GOP primary's

OUT:
Haley Barbour - claims he doesn't have the desire
Mike Huckabee - also claims he doesn't have the desire
Donald Trump - his high negatives doomed him.
Chris Christie - I'm guessing he's aiming for 2016
Jeb Bush -too soon for another Bush IMO
Jim DeMint - little support outside of the tea party
Bobby Jindal - the GOP seems to have cooled on him
Mike Pence - seems more interested in the Indiana Governors office
Marco Rubio - needs some experience, look for a 2016 run
John Thune - not yet, perhaps 2016 for him too
Scott Brown - too moderate to get through the primaries

In the end, unless a surprise candidate emerges (Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush) I would expect the grown ups in the party to move to the forefront and I'd put my money on either Pawlenty or Huntsman (and then on Obama to knock off either).

No comments:

Post a Comment