Presidential Race, 2016

[Townsend]

Someone's gotta start it...

I'm not seeing much realism in this article.  I think both parties will need to work on inclusiveness for the next four years.  The GOP will have to come to face their fears and realize it can't just be Caucasian Christian males.

The GOP gained independents this time around.

Even messing with voting laws and redistricting couldn't do it for the Republican candidates. 


The Race for 2016 Starts Today

http://news.yahoo.com/race-2016-starts-today-110030968--abc-news-politics.html

The race for 2016 starts the day after election day. Both parties are going to be searching for their new leaders. A huge question for Democrats is, "What does Hillary Clinton do?" Based on that decision, the race could go many ways.

Besides Clinton, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is a popular but unknown figure in the party, is considering.

Joe Biden, who seems to be intimating he will run, is on the shortlist, but the question becomes whether that is too status quo.

Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angeles, is on the list, and has tremendous support in the Latino community.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York would be a formidable figure if Clinton doesn't run. She is popular in a big state and a woman candidate is important, because 60 percent of Democratic primary voters are female.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been rumored to want to run and comes from a key state with access to party faithful and money.

There's also the chance of an unknown candidate who may emerge in the aftermath of this year's election.

For the GOP, the journey ahead is more perilous. They will be going through civil war after this Romney loss: the very conservatives vs. the establishment; the cultural conservatives vs. the economic conservatives; the populists vs. old school. And there is no clear leader ahead. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, would be formidable with his name and money.

Paul Ryan is a favorite among deficit conservatives and did well on the Romney campaign.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is a rising star of party and they need Latino inroads.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie did well in Hurricane Sandy and is a tough talker.

Rick Santorum would consider a run, and has backing of social conservatives.

Mike Huckabee needs to make a decision and is a popular figure in the party.

Sarah Palin would be popular with some, though she has a tough road ahead.

Rick Perry may consider another run, though questions surround that.

And again, watch for an unknown candidate to emerge from this election.

[Conan71]

I suspect Julian Castro (mayor of San Antonio) is the next sweetheart of the Democratic Party.  He got the same treatment Clinton got at the DNC in '88 and Obama got in '04.

I suspect it will come down to Hillary and Castro, assuming after having a couple of years off after stepping down as SOS, she changes her mind about a 2016 run.  If not, I suspect it will be another woman and an Hispanic male as the big vote getters in the primaries.  I really liked former NM governor Bill Richardson and would have voted for him in 2008.  I believe he's got too much dirt under his fingernails (and apparently a few enemies in his own party) to ever attempt another run.

The Democrat party has done a better job at inclusion while the GOP is rapidly alienating former members like myself who don't care for the deep right-wing religious faction in the party.

I honestly have no clue about who might be a great candidate from the GOP.  Christie will have the same problem Romney faced with the primaries, his more extreme right opponents (like Rick Scrotorum) will portray him as being too moderate and will really go after him creating sound bites the Dems will hang onto in the general election (Etch-A-Sketch anyone?).

I hope Palin realizes she is completely insignificant in the political landscape and will finally fade off into obscurity.  I don't see Romney running again, but I suspect he will be a trusted advisor on economic and job issues for whomever is the nominee.

Rubio is a good possibility, it would be interesting to see if Democrat Hispanics would vote across party lines for him.

[Teatownclown]

When you break it down by race and gender BamBam lost White Men and White Women who make up 4 times the electorate compared to Blacks and Latinos. But Blacks and Latinos came out MASSIVELY for Obama. Obama won Women by %11 but lost White Women by %14. Black and Latino Women did it for him MASSIVELY! Same with Age and Race. BAMBAM lost the White vote in all age groups who make up a majority part of the electorate. "Minority" voters turned out BIG for POTUS OBAMA in all age groups.

Moral? Texas will be a Blue State someday soon....Clinton/Castro 16....

[carltonplace]

Christie would make a good GOP candidate. I like his from the hip straight talk.

On the DEM side, I hope Biden does not throw his hat in the ring, and Clinton seems exhausted, but it's time for a female president.

[Gaspar]

I am hopeful that a Libertarian candidate emerges that doesn't look like your creepy uncle.


Hillary is a lock for 2016, unless Joe Bide. . . Bwahahahaha!  Just joking. 

[nathanm]

I am hopeful that a Libertarian candidate emerges that doesn't look like your creepy uncle.

They all look like your creepy uncle. It seems to be a prerequisite for forgetting the other half of the argument we had at the time of our country's founding about the role of government and the outcome of the civil war.

[Townsend]

Elizabeth Warren and handlers apparently have positioned a hat to throw. 

Elizabeth Warren is an American bankruptcy law expert, Harvard Law School professor, and the U.S. Senator–elect for the state of Massachusetts, having defeated incumbent Senator Scott Brown in the 2012 election.

[heironymouspasparagus]

If we elected Warren, we could be like Australia!!

[carltonplace]

Elizabeth Warren and handlers apparently have positioned a hat to throw. 

President Grandma.

[Townsend]

Is it 2016 already? Sen. Marco Rubio soon headed to Iowa

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-rubio-presidential-race-2016-20121108,0,6407413.story

BOSTON — The race for 2016 has officially begun.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will headline a birthday fundraiser for Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad next week, a benchmark gathering that is expected to attract hundreds of Republicans in the state that will kick off the next presidential nomination contest.

Anytime any politician appears in states like Iowa or New Hampshire, they cause shock waves because of these states' early voting roles in selecting party nominees.

PHOTOS: Reactions to Obama's victory

"Every single move any national politician makes here is looked at through the caucus lens," said Tim Albrecht, a spokesman for Branstad. "There's no getting around it."

Similar speculation swirled on the Democratic side when termed-out Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke a few weeks ago at the premier Democratic fundraiser in Des Moines.

Rubio will speak at the Palace Theater at Adventureland in a Des Moines suburb on Nov. 17. A similar event one year ago raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Branstad and attracted the likes of Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and others who were competing for the GOP presidential nomination. Branstad has served as governor for 17 years in separate terms and has not announced whether he will run again.

Branstad invited Rubio after meeting the rising GOP star during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., in late August. Rubio accepted the invitation a while ago, but the news release about the event was sent out Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Mitt Romney lost his presidential bid -- just as many began speculating about the future of the GOP.

[Conan71]

Is it 2016 already? Sen. Marco Rubio soon headed to Iowa

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-rubio-presidential-race-2016-20121108,0,6407413.story

JFC, can't they give it a rest at least until Jan. 2015?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Townsend]

JFC, can't they give it a rest at least until Jan. 2015?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Shoot no.  Let's get this party started.  C'mon Bachmann, let's see whatcha got this go 'round.

[Conan71]

Shoot no.  Let's get this party started.  C'mon Bachmann, let's see whatcha got this go 'round.

"Bachmann, she's got the crazy eyes!"

[Townsend]

"Bachmann, she's got the crazy eyes!"

Oh man, she does.  Melt your face.

[Gaspar]

Elizabeth Warren and handlers apparently have positioned a hat to throw. 

I wonder if she will be black by then?