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>>> Bush 1988: It was his turn.
Bush 1992: It was his turn. He was the incumbent. He lost.
Dole 1996: It was his turn. He lost.
Bush 2000: He bucked McCain, who’s turn it was. He won.
Bush 2004: It was his turn. He was the incumbent. He won.
McCain 2008: It was his turn. He lost.
Romney 2012: It was his turn. He lost.
I see a pattern here. When a Pubbie gets the nomination who bucks the “turn,” he wins. <<

I actually think this pattern is likely to be broken in 2016. The person who could claim it was their "turn" by virtue of being "runner up" from 2012 is either Santorum or Newt (who came in a distance third but his supporters like to pretend he was "last conservative standing" because everyone else besides him realized Romney had gotten an insurmountable lead)

Another "tradition" that was broken in the most recent presidential primary was the idea that "the road to the nomination leads through South Carolina". We were reminded over and over again that every Republican nominee since Reagan in 1980 had won South Carolina before winning nationally, and that nobody had gotten the GOP nomination without taking that primary.

Newt took it in the 2012, but this time the road through South Carolina took him to Georgia and nowhere else.

I not only think Santorum and Gingrich would have a difficult time getting the nomination in 2016, I can't imagine the GOP establishment would throw their weight behind either of them. Santorum is way too much of a socially conservative firebrand for them, and Newt is... Newt.

Yeah that stupid “tradition” (that hasn’t benefited us since 1980) of giving it the runner up or other top contender from last time is sure to end. No one who ran in 2012 or 2008 is likely to succeed including fat *** Huckabee.

I was for Santorum, by default, but don’t want to see him run again. Half of FR would probably jump right on the Newt train, gag.

Any other retreads, there’s always Governor Hair (Perry), after his poor campaigning and implosion, I don’t think so.

There is Rand Paul, surrogate for Ron who competed the last 2 times. No one in the establishment would ever consider it Ron Paul’s “turn” though. Ha.

remember, newt called paul ryan's budget plan, 'right wing social engineering' in early 2Θ11. the base cried foul at newt. newt took a trip to greece. newt's staff dumped him for rick perry. pundits predicted newt to drop by the iowa straw poll. but newt carried on and outlasted perry. those same staffers that dumped newt, came crawling back to him after perry flopped. jack kingston was one of the few elected official that stood by newt, good and bad. should jack kingston be rewarded with a senate seat for his loyalty to newt?