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.
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Below are our rankings of the 10 candidates with the best chance of winding up as the Republican presidential nominee.
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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 ...
I don't think it'll fool voters anymore. Unless the nominee is obviously someone like Paul or Cruz, it'll give the dems an opening. At this time, the dems don't have anyone. Obama has sucked the life out of the Democratic Party. JMHO
We’ll see.
I believe she decided to stay with her family last time, and will be ready to run next time.
I strongly believe that to be the case.
You’re ashamed. I’m disgusted.
The backroom cronies of Republicanism cluster about In smoke filled rooms and.......voila! We get the same old turds.
Rand Paul, Gary Johnson, Ted Cruz are like a breath of fresh air. Pull the plug on the central socialist government. Deny all past presidents pensions and staff.
When they’re done, they’re done. Obama was done within days after being sworn at.
I agree with you for the most part. I think Rand Paul miiiiight have a little bit of a chance because he’d get conservatives and some libertarians thanks to his dad’s name recognition...but that’s a chance.
Forgot about the Libertarian connection, but I don’t think they like him as much as daddy Paul. Don’t know, I almost rather have a strong leader in the Senate
I dont think he could peel them off in droves, but if he could get 30% of them it would help.
The Senate’s nice, but we have to have the bully pulpit. In the senate he’s one of 100, and is easily countered by Lindsay Graham or John McQueeg.
I admire your optimism, but I don’t think we’ll have a Rep thats not a RINO at the pulpit for a very long time.
The odds are certainly on your side, and I wouldn’t call myself an optimist. I think its going to get far worse before it gets better. I’m more trying to see ways it possibly COULD work, but that isn’t to say that I think its a likely scenario.
I don’t think he could even win KY, much less be elected President.
No, they call him "Poppy".
I don’t even think Palin would win AK if she runs for President in 2016. It’s too Murkowskicized.
Uh, considering the quality of Republican primary voters, you might want to revise this statement.
Interesting there’s no mention of Palin.
I think she may still have a surprise up her sleeve.
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