[pogo101]

I'll start.

In 2008, I preferred Fred Thompson.

In 2012, I preferred Rick Perry.

In 2016, my "preference cascade" was:

1. Rick Perry (OOPS) 2. Bobby Jindal 3. Scott Walker 4. Marco Rubio 5. Ted Cruz 6. Whomever else is nominated and can stop the Democrat nominee.

[Snowybear]

I started with Walker but quickly switched to Trump.

[rwh]

08- Duncan Hunter
12- Herman Cain
16- Ted Cruz. His time has passed
I will vote for Trump with absolutely no enthusiasm.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

2008 - Thompson

2012 - They all sucked, but I voted for Newt.

2016 - Started with Cruz, switched to Trump after I read his books and he convinced me he was serious.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ex-Gov. Frank Keating of Oklahoma should’ve been drafted to run in 2008. As an FBI agent, he pursued Zero’s terrorist mentors. He’d have been finishing up his two terms now in a vastly different country we find ourselves in.

[mumblypeg]

1. Bobby Jindal
2. Bobby Jindal
3. Bobby Jindal

[meadsjn]

I was for Cruz -- right up until he made his opening speech at Liberty University. Right then, he exposed himself as a fake Christian, fake conservative, smarmy, slimy, sleazy, and most likely to crater due to multiple sex scandals, lying, cheating, stealing, and whatever crimes remained hidden at the time. Nightmare come true.

At the same time, I knew the lowest-IQ ten percent of the voting population would ride his crooked coattails right over the edge and into the abyss. Never fails.

As soon as Trump jumped in, I was for Trump, and still am. His policy proposals are more closely aligned with the Republican Party platform than any Republican candidate since Ronald Reagan.

[Parley Baer]

2008: I liked Fred Thompson

2012: I liked Newt

2016: I started out with Cruz but have switched to Trump

[Beernoser]

2008 Huckaby (got a baseball signed by Huckaby and Chuck Norris

2012 Romney — it was a weak field

2016 Rubio — great field - can’t believe we’re going to nominate Trump. Will be the toughest vote I ever make. I don’t know if I can vote doe someone so unqualified.

[napscoordinator]

2012 -Santorum - still bitter. Lol.
2016 -Walker - trump

[BigEdLB]

2016 - Walker to about July then switched to Trump
2012-Newt
2008-Giuliani

[ExGeeEye]

2008, Thompson.

Voted for the nominee, of course. In November it was about defeating Obama. Sorry more conservatives didn't see it that way.

2012, Cain-- but he dropped out before getting to my state, so Santorum.

Voted for the nominee, of course. In November it was about defeating Obama. Sorry more conservatives didn't see it that way.

2016, Cruz. Lost to Trump fair 'n' square.

Voting for the nominee, of course. In November it will be about defeating the Democrat. Hope more conservatives see it that way.

[darkangel82]

2008: Thompson
2012: Cain
This year: Cruz, Rubio and Trump. Only of those three is still in it.

[RedWulf]

Walker(before he went pro-illegals), Cruz(Seemed fake, but better than the rest), and Perry. I hated Jeb and wanted to see him go down hard for what his brother did to this country.

I disliked Trump. I despise reality TV and sales men and Trump is the king of sales men. And then he dropped his immigration proposal. No one, and mean no one has ever advocated for something like that in the last 30 years in politics. The media went ape sh*t at Trump and Trump didn't back down at all. He lost endorsements, millions of bucks in deals, was called a racist, and smeared by all the evil lying media whores. When the dust cleared and he was still standing tall and fighting back, I knew we had a leader both with the right ideas and the balls to make it happen.

[snarkpup]

For 2016:

First place: Donald Trump (only candidate with a chance of reversing the downward spiral)

Middle place: All the others tied (non-Trump and non-Cruz)

Last place: Ted Cruz (opposes American principles like representative government and religious plurality; might pop off nukes if he thought Jesus were telling him to do so)

For me, Cruz was in last place as soon as I saw the notorious Elmer Gantry routines. After Chicago and Colorado, my opinion of him plunged from "last place" to "distant last place."

Early on, I liked Scott Walker because of how he was able to fight the opposition in Wisconsin. I'm still not sure why he fell down as quickly as he did.

[kaehurowing]

Initially, Scott Walker.

Now Trump.

[MaxistheBest]

Trump, Cruz, Perry, Jindal and Walker.

We liked Jindal for his ideas, but neither of us thought he was electable.
Walker surprised us how weak he was in the first debate.
Perry looked out of his league. Wife wondered why he went to glasses.
Liked Cruz for his knowledge and debate skills, but the wife first pegged him for a serious liar and his proposals were too over the top; nothing but red meat.

Trump just started to grow on us pretty quickly

[kaehurowing]

2008: Fred Thompson

2012: Perry or Santorum

Ironically, the last candidate I got really excited about was Colin Powell. But of course that never went anywhere, and then he went downhill personally. Powell would have destroyed Billy Clinton though.

[TontoKowalski]

Interesting thread and responses.

Walker very early.

Drifted to Cruz/Trump, but looking hard at Rand Paul and glancing at Rubio.

Then hardcore Trump and haven't wavered.

[MaxFlint]

Trump
Walker
Cruz
Carson
Paul

Those are all guys I could have supported without much angst. The following are the bad/weak candidates from bad to worst.

Santorum
Christie
Huckabee
Rubio
Carly
Graham

Christie, Santorum and Huckabee are unelectable, but they have their good points, but knowing they couldn't win ruled them out. Graham would be the worst of the worst this time around. Utterly evil. Carly and Rubio aren't much better.

[rbbeachkid]

1. Cruz
2. Cruz...