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Rand Paul, 2016 Republican Front-Runner
washingtonpost.com ^ | September 13, 2013 | Chris Cillizza

Posted on 09/15/2013 7:01:45 AM PDT by BarnacleCenturion

The first eight-plus months of 2013 have convinced us of one thing: Rand Paul acts and the rest of the potential 2016 Republican presidential field reacts.

On drones, Paul led a 13-hour-long filibuster that drew Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (among others) to the floor in support.

On Syria, Paul was out front in his opposition to a military strike — a position that 30 of his Senate Republican colleagues shared as of this writing. Those 30 include both Rubio,who voted against the use-of-force resolution in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

...

Below are our rankings of the 10 candidates with the best chance of winding up as the Republican presidential nominee.

...

10. Mike Pence: The Indiana governor is flying way under the radar at the moment but, as Matt Lewis argued in a recent piece for the Daily Caller, he has many of the makings of a potential 2016 dark horse: social and fiscal conservatives like him, he’s a charismatic communicator, and, perhaps most importantly, he doesn’t work in Washington, D.C. (Previous ranking: N/A)

9. John Kasich: The Ohio governor’s poll numbers have recovered remarkably well from his first few years in office, and he now looks like a favorite against much-touted Democratic nominee Ed FitzGerald. If Kasich wins in 2014, he has a case to make as a swing-state Midwestern governor who previously served as the chairman of the House Budget Committee and who ran (albeit briefly) for president in 2000. One big question: Does Kasich really want to undertake another national bid? (Previous ranking: 6)

8. Bobby Jindal: We believe that Jindal’s stock was probably a bit too high a year ago and is now a bit too low. His numbers in Louisiana still aren’t great, but they are better than

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Florida; US: Indiana; US: Kentucky; US: Louisiana; US: New Jersey; US: Ohio; US: Texas; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: 2014election; 2016election; 2016electionbias; 2016gopprimary; 2016polls; 911truthers; antiwardotcom; bobbyjindal; chrischristie; chriscillizza; dnctalkingpoints; droningondrones; election2014; election2016; florida; homosexualagenda; indiana; iran; jebbush; johnkasich; kentucky; lewrockwelldotcom; louisiana; marcorubio; mikepence; newjersey; ohio; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; paul2016; paulryan; pravdamedia; randnesty; randsconcerntrolls; russia; scottwalker; syria; tedcruz; texas; washingtonpost; wisconsin
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To: SoCalTransplant

I STRONGLY disagree.

If Palin doesn’t run, I’ll gladly stand behind one of the others.

But for now, she’s number one. :D


61 posted on 09/15/2013 1:16:15 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: PoloSec

I like Paul/Cruz or Cruz/Paul


62 posted on 09/15/2013 1:29:30 PM PDT by dandiegirl
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To: PoloSec

Jeb Bush makes me sick. His son is running for an office here in Texas which I will go and vote against him. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in that family. Jeb giving Hillary that award was the last straw for any Bush for me.


63 posted on 09/15/2013 1:31:48 PM PDT by dandiegirl
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To: grania

I think Ron Johnson would be a good VP. He could lose his seat in Wisconsin.

I dont think you would need to have both Paul and Cruz on the same ticket. I think one of them will drop out if necessary.

I trust Rand Paul to be laughed at by a GOP congress when he uses Karl Rove logic to hispander.

I trust Paul more as an executive than his behaviour as a Senator on amnesty.


64 posted on 09/15/2013 2:32:17 PM PDT by ObamahatesPACoal
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To: BarnacleCenturion

Neocons don’t play nice. Rand Paul will be smeared out of public life if he makes a serious run. It will be ugly.

This was a nice couple of weeks. But prepare for the dying empire to continue perpetual war. Pray for your kids.


65 posted on 09/15/2013 3:02:48 PM PDT by Forgotten Amendments (I remember when a President having an "enemies list" was a scandal. Now, they have a kill list.)
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To: mylife; miss marmelstein
Some things are true.....Perry has been forever tainted by his bad performance in his last bid for prez.

He NEVER told the viewers he had back surgery and was on medication. All of his gaffs can be blamed on his bad politicking.

One of the reasons he probably isn't running for reelection as governor is that he can't get elected----Texans NEVER knew until the presidential debate that he had given illegals in-state tuition.

Perry is the one that told the electorate WE were heartless WRT amnesty.......making us the villains and himself the good ol' latino suckup boy.

The way he entered the prez race was an outrage---he never campaigned---but he stopped the momentum of Michele Bachman who actually won the primary. Perry acted like he had won---plastering himself allover the media w/ that snarky Texas grin.

66 posted on 09/15/2013 3:13:30 PM PDT by Liz
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To: grania

“How could Paul mess it up? The mistake would be if a nominated Rand Paul chooses one of those establishment politicians for VP. US citizens know what globalist sellouts are, and choosing one would give the dems an opening.”

Like Reagan did, beginning a 12 year GOP run?

He had the wisdom to know he needed those establishment votes, to win.


67 posted on 09/15/2013 3:32:15 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: truth_seeker

I don’t think the comparison to Reagan’s VP choice is valid. Most people are fed up with the mess establishment choices have made of the country....including Reagan’s VP.


68 posted on 09/15/2013 4:10:51 PM PDT by grania
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To: Liz

Yeah and he was a ****ty Gov to boot! *snarky Tx grin*

For 4 terms.


69 posted on 09/15/2013 4:43:13 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

While I’d greatly prefer Rand Paul to crypto-liberals like Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, I find his support for amnesty for illegal immigrants hard to stomach. I don’t think that I could bring myself to vote for any pro-amnesty candidate, which, as far as I know, leaves Ted Cruz as the only acceptable GOP candidate who is likely to be running.


70 posted on 09/15/2013 6:29:24 PM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: grania

“I don’t think the comparison to Reagan’s VP choice is valid. Most people are fed up with the mess establishment choices have made of the country....including Reagan’s VP.”

My point is you need the entire spectrum of the GOP, to win.

A new factor is the “libertarian” part of the spectrum, which seems quite popular.

The GOP has not held power since 2006, so the mess now is not theirs.


71 posted on 09/15/2013 6:33:26 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: grania

A more likely scenario would be an establishment candidate like Jeb Bush or Christie picking a conservative running mate like Paul or Cruz as a token. Since the VP has virtually no actual authority, barring the death of a President, it would be all for show.


72 posted on 09/15/2013 6:35:14 PM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Honest injun, I’m not saying this with any snark in my heart or voice, but you really think that Sarah Palin would get 270 electoral votes?

I think she’d get approximately the amount of support that Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity would. Now, I’d love a President Sean or President Rush, but realistically it ain’t going to happen.

Now, granted, I’m the guy who thinks we are beyond voting in this country, the mooches, morons and soon to be the illegals just have overwhelmed the electorate...but as much as I agree with her, I just think Sarah is too polarizing. In other words, I agree with her WAY too much to every think she has a chance with the low information voters LOL.


73 posted on 09/15/2013 7:21:06 PM PDT by SoCalTransplant (Wake me when we get to the part where we alter or abolish it.)
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To: SoCalTransplant

I would gladly vote for Rand Paul or Ted Cruz, but in a national election they would have almost zero chance to win.
The voting majority are just slightly ahead of Koo Koo the gorilla. Paul and Cruz will hit them with to much truth and that can’t be processed by the simpletons that make up the voting majority.


74 posted on 09/15/2013 7:25:46 PM PDT by Farnsworth ("The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness...This and no)
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To: BarnacleCenturion
Chris Christie is a Northeast anti-gun Republican. He also signed absolutely Tyrannical legislation relating to Free Speech and the conversion of gays to ex-gays.

Consequently, Christie has absolutely no chance of winning the GOP nomination in 2016, nor any chance of being on the ticket as VP. Any northeasterners who think Christie is a viable national candidate are beyond deluded.

If there's one thing that can de-energize the conservative/TEA party base, it's liberal northeast Republican gun-grabbers.

Combine that with the fact that Christie consistently has to wipe 0bama's j--m off his face, I'd say that Christie is about as likely to be the GOP nominee in 2016 as Mitt Romney is...

75 posted on 09/15/2013 7:47:38 PM PDT by sargon (I don't like the sound of these here Boncentration Bamps!)
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To: PoloSec

Cruz is the best bar none. Rand Paul voted to confirm Kerry and Hagel saying that Obama deserves some lee way. Give me a break..our Clown in Chief already had his leeway with Hillary.
Cruz voted against both.


76 posted on 09/15/2013 7:56:28 PM PDT by katiedidit1
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
Completely bogus list. Palin not in the top 10?

I know. I can't take a 2016 candidate poll seriously, that doesn't have Palin in it.

77 posted on 09/15/2013 8:11:50 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: ez
Governors traditionally have an advantage over legislators in the race For Preezy. We would be wise to nominate a gov this time around.

I agree.



78 posted on 09/15/2013 8:16:16 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Probably because Palin won’t run. I’d vote for her in a second if she did, but her time was 2012. I still have no idea why she passed it up.


79 posted on 09/15/2013 9:18:33 PM PDT by RB156
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To: IbJensen

I’m ashamed I voted for McCain and Romney. But I’m proud to say I never voted for old man Bush.


80 posted on 09/15/2013 9:54:35 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (".....Barrack, and the horse Mohammed rode in on.")
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