The 2016 Republican primary is the biggest crap-shoot since at least 1988

The Washington Post's The Fix ^ | December 17, 2014 | Scott Clement

[2ndDivisionVet]

Early national presidential primary polls are, at best, rough indicators of who will eventually become the party's standard-bearer. But the Republican primary field is especially scattered heading into the 2016 cycle, which is one reason why Jeb Bush's recent moves toward a candidacy are getting so much attention.

In fact, the GOP field is more scattered at this stage in GOP primaries since at least 1987, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The table below looks back at early Post-ABC surveys in the past five open Republican primary contests.

A few findings help give a sense of just how uncertain Republicans are in their current views:

1. Nine Republican candidates garner at least 5 percent support, several more than in past cycles (it was five in early 2011 and 1987).

2. Mitt Romney is on top, but his 20 percent support is quite a bit smaller than past leaders (2012 being an exception). Given that he appears unlikely to run again, the poll asked Romney supporters who they'd support instead. His supporters split between Bush, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan and others, leaving an even-more-dispersed field....

[2ndDivisionVet]

Romney voters would also pick Rand Paul? Hmmmmm...

[freedumb2003]

Maybe we can draft Liz Dole?

She’s still alive, yes?

[napscoordinator]

Scott Walker has 5 percent......he was at 1 percent last week. He keeps this up, he is our President in 2017! I can’t wait.

[upchuck]

The WaPo carefully avoids mentioning the C word.

[Pollster1]

With Romney, another Bush, Christie, and Rubio in prominent positions, the phrase “crap shoot” seems appropriate. We have too many RINO candidates who are full of . . .

[TADSLOS]

Well, the crap part is accurate.

[Jagdgewehr]

I used to think only Democrats were fools.

[Travis McGee]

[princess leah]

There has to be a rule that if you have run in a previous election and lost, then you are AXED from running again! I WILL CALL it the NO LOSER AGAIN bill!

Please Mitt, Rick, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee, etc if you love America DO NOT RUN!

[entropy12]

Please conservatives...unite behind ONE candidate....whoever is ahead after IA, NH & SC are over.

If Jeb Bush is the only moderate (RINO) in the race with 2 or more conservatives, Jeb will win just like Romney by dividing conservative votes.

[entropy12]

I did not know Rand Paul ran in 2012! You know lot more than me!!

[Liz]

El Bushman Jeffo acts like Nov 2014 was a clarion call to him. (Snort) that's what he planned to say....except he would have been laughed off the political stage.

AS FREEPER TEXAS EAGLE INSIGHTFULLY POSTED: Enjoy your day in the sun, Jeb. The ground is shifting beneath you and it's going to swallow you up. RINOs are clueless WRT their looming demise---it's rising from below----the teeming grass roots.

"Statehouses and Governorships from coast to coast, border to border are being inundated with Tea Partiers or, at the very least, Republicans who espouse Tea Party beliefs and principles."

==================================================

FREEPER ACTION ALERT--Every time we contact Pubbies---include this winning list of OUR votes, as a sober reminder.

The treasure trove of "The Midterm Democrat Demolition Derby" and down-ticket state wins have yet to be fully- mined, but this we know:

<><> REPUBLICANS (NOT THE GOPE) WON STUNNING ELECTORAL HISTORY...

<><> midterms were a massive and awesome rejection of liberals;

<><> Landrieu's loss means Southern Democrats control not a single governorship, US senator or legislative chamber,

<><> Democrat losses stretch from the Carolinas westward to Texas,

<><> Of 140 Southern States election districts---110 went Republican.

<><> GOP's House majorities are so huge and solid NBC's Chuck Todd says Dems can't recapture losses until 2022.

<><> Some pundits say Republicans have a 100-year majority;

<><> when the next US Senate convenes, 30 lock-stepping Democrats who voted for Obamacare are gone.

<><> Ark and Ill (Clinton hometowns) have Repub governors---important in a prez race b/c guvs control party machinery.

<><> Unprecedented MINN 6th Congressional district---every single House and Senate district went Repub

<><>GOP now controls the MINN State House.

<><> Ohio's historic GOP statehouse takeover (Gun Control is toast)

<><> Ohio's Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, Secy of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer--all R---Sup/Ct - 6 R/1 D

<><> Britt Hume: "latino vote is zilch"---"over-50" is significant 30% voting segment.

<><> Republicans unified control: gov/legislature in 23 states (per Ntl Conference of State Legislatures factoid).

<><> Repub governorships: Florida, Tx, Ill, Ohio, Mich, MD, Wisconsin, NC, GA, Mass. .

<><> GOP has every congressional seat in Arkansas; first time in 141 years...

<><> Environmentalists fogged out---suffered huge losses.

<><> Gun Control Candidates blitzed.

<><> "War on Women" became a ntl joke.

<><> Clinton's politically useless---most candidates they flacked lost.

<><> Montana, So/Dakota and West/VA Dems were forced to retire; no hope of getting re-elected,

<><> Repubs hold 246 House seats (Dems 188), the largest GOP advantage since the Truman administration after World War II. An Arizona recount leaves one House race still outstanding.

<><> 73 percent of LA's white voters say told they "strongly disapproved" of the president.

<><> Arizona Republican McSally wins last open House seat after recount (Gaby Giffords seat)

<><> McSally's Arizona win gives GOP 5-4 advantage in the Arizona congressional delegation,

<><>Republican Congress holds largest House majority in 83 years...

[married21]

Is Scott Walker pro-life?