Posted on 02/08/2011 5:22:38 PM PST by pissant
February will almost certainly be moving month for Republicans with an eye on the 2012 presidential race.
With the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary roughly one year away, the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has defined the race up until now will begin to go public.
"The practicalities of running -- debates, straw polls, staffing, lining up endorsements on paper -- means candidates will have to end the sub rosa campaign soon," predicted one adviser to a potential 2012 aspirant.
With the next 20 days almost certain to be full of 2012 machinations, we thought it made sense to give Fixistas a lay of the land. That is, where do the candidates actually stand on the race? Are they all but in? All but out? Genuinely wavering? And, more importantly, why?
Our handicapping of which category your favorite candidate belongs is after the jump. Our sorting is based on myriad conversations with party strategists -- both those already signed up to work on one of the campaigns and those currently on the sidelines of the 2012 race.
And, to be clear, no one on this list has made a FORMAL decision yet. And that means minds can -- and perhaps will -- change. A candidate in one category today could wind up in an entirely different one a month -- or three -- from now. That's politics.
The In Crowd These candidates have not announced but are, through their actions, considered to be all-but-in the race.
Newt Gingrich: Gingrich has set an end-of-the-month deadline to make a formal decision on the race but he appears to be full-speed ahead at this point. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that the former House Speaker was already scoping out office space in Georgia and Gingrich's schedule --
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
INs: Newt, Tpaw, Mitt, Huntsman and Santorum.
MAYBEs: Bachmann, Barbour, DeMint, Daniels, Rudy, Huck, Palin and Paul
OUTs: Christie, Jindal, Perry and Rubio
The only conservatives on here are DeMint and Bachmann and Santorum. Since Santorum was beaten like a bongo in his last race, he can go fly a kite.
DeMint/Bachmann 2012
(He left off Herman Cain, who should have been listed in the 'in' group, and could be substituted for either DeMint or Bachmann if they choose not to run)
Mike Pence (my personal favorite) is OUT also.
It appears he will be running for gov of Indiana.
I think one or two on this list needs to switch Democratic and probably would end up with their nomination.
Yeah, I tried my darndest to push him to run for POTUS.
Another vote for DeMint/Bachmann (and Cain as VP if Bachmann runs for Senate)
Run DeMint Run
While the article says Newt is looking for office space in Atlanta, local Atlanta rumor says he’s also looking for a house. He’s been living in the Wash DC area, and apparently he doesn’t want to look so much like a Beltway insider. This is not a joke or satire.
Was that his sofa he sat on with Nancy, or did he borrow Nancy’s?
[The only conservatives on here are DeMint and Bachmann and Santorum.[
That’s just a flat out lie pissant, and you know it.
Jindal might be able to sneak in. But he’s on the out list. And they did leave out Cain (running) and Pence (out)
I like our lady Sarah, and I like Bachmann, and Mitt. And while I was against Huckabee the last go around, I think I could be very happy with his candidacy this time around if other R’s pick him.
You are one of a kind, that’s for sure. Around here anyway. LOL
Huntsman hadn't appeared on my 2012 radar until this piece so I'll skip him. Pawlenty is ok but his record in MN is not unassailable.
Romney is hated: he's hated in MA, he's hated by religious bigots, he's hated by those who don't believe his past moves right are genuine. With Obamacare controversial, his "healthcare" bill will hang around him like a boat anchor. Years after a big loss in PA Santorum is a joke. Just Google his name. More importantly we don't need another Senator President.
What's made a difference since? Are you so warm and fuzzy from his evangelical rhetoric that you can ignore his clemency scandal allow the rampage of cop killings and child rapes by Maurice Clemmons?
I was no fan of Barbour (MS) as party chair so I've overlooked his tenure as governor. Looking at various leadership failures in the recent past, I'm not looking to the South to provide someone to get us out of Obama's morass. Bristling from 2008's battle of the Senators, I've little interest those like DeMint (SC) or Thune (SD) at this time.
Half-term Palin (AK) is a far better asset where she is now: she fires up voters and carries a message. Cloaking himself in evangelical smarm, Hackabee (AR) can get stuffed over clemency.
I don't know enough about Bachmann (MN) but she's only a congresswoman - might be a running mate though.
Gov Daniels (IN) is someone I'm looking at more favorably due to what seems like a successful governorship. If nothing else, I'd like to see him in the race. I've no interest in kooky congresscritter Ron Paul (TX).
There’s alot more to dislike than like. DeMint is my first choice of the folks kicking around running. After that, Bachmann and Cain are the conservatives, hopefully they can get traction
Your bias against Governor Sarah Palin is well known on this forum. But to exclude her from a list of Conservatives takes your PDS into KO territory.
As to the author’s listing, the INs are a joke; the MAYBEs are a mess but at least, the OUTs are correct.
She’s liable to catch pneumonia from all the damn wind zipping by her finger.
>>She’s liable to catch pneumonia from all the damn wind zipping by her finger.<<
Proof or more PDS? If you have proof of her taking a poll (as all the others do) and then modifying her views (as all the others do), please present hard FACTS. Otherwise, join KO’s chorus of RINOs.
Everyone knows you left off Palin from the list of conservatives in order to be spiteful, but what else is new? Of course, because you have chosen to be a royal destructive pain in the arse out of spite, it means you invite the same treatment - people who don’t play fair don’t deserve fair treatment.
You are operating like the muslims, hiding behind the good intentions and fairness of others while burrowing under the skin. People will wake up eventually. Many already have.
You must mean Romney and Guilliani.
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