Republicans Need a Champion in 2016 (Guess which two he suggests?)

Politico Magazine ^ | March 3, 2014 | Professor Larry J. Sabato

[2ndDivisionVet]

e are already at the point in this prematurely unfolding 2016 presidential campaign when a glance down the list of prospective candidates can cause most observers to wince. As that seductive and sultry crooner Peggy Lee once sang, “Is that all there is?”

At the U.Va. Crystal Ball, we currently have 11 Republicans and nine Democrats as probable or possible presidential contenders. The Democrats have fewer and more tentative contenders because of the paralyzing gravitational pull of “Planet Hillary,” as the New York Times Magazine described the Clinton operation. The former secretary of state is a kind of massive Jupiter in a solar system that may not have many more worlds if she runs.

The Republicans have a sharply different problem. They have plenty of wannabes but no obvious general election winner. It’s not that we can’t construct scenarios by which this or that GOP nominee will capture the White House three years hence. Rather, it is that no one on the present list seems able to convincingly combat the growing demographic edge that produces a Democratic lead in the Electoral College.

Republicans probably won’t believe this assertion once they do reasonably well in this November’s low-turnout, red state-skewed midterm election; they’ll fool themselves again, just as they did after their 2010 midterm triumph, when the most frequently heard GOP comment was, “Even my dog could beat President Obama in 2012.”

Maybe Obama will be so unpopular by 2016, or the economy bad enough, that the Democratic nominee simply can’t win. But if the general election turns out to be closely competitive, as most open-seat contests for the White House are, who among the Republicans can redraw an Electoral College map that’s strongly in the Democrats’ favor?(continued)

[Patriot95]

Going to guess Christie and Rubio

[Nachum]

[Tupelo]

Hey, Republicans can lose as easy with Rob Portman as the can with Jeb Bush or Chris Christie or any of the others.
I have said it before and will say it again, I will not see another Republican president in my lifetime.

[Graewoulf]

Thanks for this article. I will comment on it in the next few days.

[ncalburt]

Larry Saboto is a documented fraud.
This con was caught hiding his work for the Va DNC and Dem VA senate candidate while hitting all the cable shows trashing the Gop candidate .
He was caught lying and laid low for a fews years .
He is a Dedicated Lefty Fraud posing as a pollster.

I recall in 2003 Fraud Larry predicted GWBush would lose reelection based on his polling.
The man is DNC plant and nothing more.

[Dr. Sivana]

The unfolding e-mail brouhaha surrounding Walker, while small potatoes in some ways, shows the risks associated with any pol who hasn’t gone through the national wringer.

This man is not up to speed. When all the forces of the national labor movement and the usual cadre of other lefty ops, plus tier 1 radical college lefties all aim fire at you, that IS the national wringer. His hometown paper didn't cover the Wisconsin Senate democrats fleeing to Illinois to avoid the vote on Walker's Act 10?

[be-baw]

Rob Portman? So there is another Republican in Ohio besides Kasich.

Jeb Bush appears to be the establishment favorite, especially now with Christie on the ropes.

If you want a Republican governor with proven leadership experience, I would vote for Palin, Walker or Bush, in that order.

If you want a tea party patriot, with limited leadership experience I would vote for, in order of preference, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz or Rand Paul.

Any of these candidates would be far preferable to Clinton or any other hack the Democrat Party might nominate

[2ndDivisionVet]

Go read Ted Cruz’s bio.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Did you forget John Boehner? LOL

[Viennacon]

Portman will not run, and if he did, he would be one of the worst candidates for the nomination in history. Worse than Ron Paul.

I will not accept RINOS! And screw Hitlery. She should be in a Russian prison.

[TChad]

We have been anxiously awaiting Politico's suggestions as to which (D) who calls himself an (R) we should nominate.

I'm surprised Politico didn't try to push Colin Powell.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The suspense is killing me. Please, please, tell us.

[M-cubed]

it is that no one on the present list seems able to convincingly combat the growing demographic edge that produces a Democratic lead in the Electoral College.<<

LOL..”growing demographic edge!”...ARE WE TALKING ABOUT GIVERS VS. TAKERS??

[Ken H]

Did you forget John Boehner? LOL

Bush-Boehner in 2016! (wrong on several levels)

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Rob Portman might win, but, for social conservatives, what would be the point? We could stand an even better chance of winning if we nominated Hillary. But, then again, what would be the point?

[knarf]

for later

[be-baw]

I’ve read Cruz’ bio and I recognize he is uncommonly brilliant. I don’t disagree with anything he has said or done. I would vote for him enthusiastically and work for him to get elected. However, there is a lot to be said for experience gained as a chief executive for a large organization. Nevertheless, I would much prefer Cruz over Jeb Bush

[Graewoulf]

Sure.

Dr. Sab
Is good in the lab.
But common sense
Is not his suit,
But empty is!
(Just between you and me.)

What does he lack,
I pose to you?
What is obvious that wins more votes?
What causes Corruption Politicos to gloat?
My reasoned answer will take time to type,
But now I must say -— Good Night.

[Mark17]

I have said it before and will say it again, I will not see another Republican president in my lifetime.

Unfortunately, I think I agree, especially if amnesty passes, but can you say President Hildebeast? Some people think we are out of our minds, but I was positive Romney would not beat the Obungler either.