Posted on 12/10/2014 7:39:24 AM PST by SeekAndFind
On January 27, 2007, I wrote what remains one of the most read posts in RedState history. The title summed it up. “They All Suck”. In it, I noted that the field of Republican candidates then taking shape headed into the 2008 election were just terrible. Giuliani, McCain, Romney, Tom Tancredo, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) Heritage ActionScorecard Rep. Duncan HunterHouse Republican Average 68%, and Sam Brownback were a lightweight crew of candidates. as I noted:
They all suck. Let’s just admit it. Every one of the thus far announced Republican candidates for President sucks. From the lecherous adulterer to the egomaniacal nut job to the flip-flopping opportunist with the perfect hair to the guy who hates brown people to the guy we’ve never heard of to the guy who has a better chance of getting hit by a meteor while being consumed by a blue whale being struck by lightening.
They all suck. (Well, okay, Brownback doesn’t suck at all, but I perceive no viability for his candidacy.)
That post galvanized the following year of Presidential politics among conservatives. We saw other entrants into the field, but by and large the candidates were unaccomplished, only looking accomplished in light of the Democrats’ own nominee — a half-term Senator who spent more time voting present than doing anything.
Fast forward now to the field that is shaping up in 2016. We may very well have a race that includes Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)Heritage ActionScorecardSen. Rand PaulSenate Republican Average 92%, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)Heritage ActionScorecardSen. Ted CruzSenate Republican AverageSee Full Scorecard94%, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)Heritage ActionScorecardSen. Marco RubioSenate Republican Average 81%. Others may join the race too. In fact, with the exception of Jeb Bush whose career in elected politics was ending as RedState was starting, it is worth noting that at some point RedState has raised money for and supported every single person on this list. It is a testament to our success as a site.
As it stands now, this will be one of the deepest, most experienced benches of Republican candidates since 1980 when the GOP fielded three governors, two congressmen, two senators, and the former CIA head/RNC chief. We will have six governors looking, five of whom will have served or be in their second term. There will be three senators who’ve been able to galvanize various parts of the right. And there still may be others. More so, of the governors, all will have been economically successful within their states during rocky national economics. They’ll stand in sharp contrast to any field of Democrats.
Frankly, this goes to why national parties see-saw. With Barack Obama, the Democrats’ bench became very shallow through a series of major defeats in 2010 and 2014. They were not able to make up ground in 2012. Meanwhile, the Republican bench has been growing and deepening for some time.
Conservatives may view each of the candidates differently. Some will be more liked by the base than others. But every one of them would be well qualified to be President and to stand up to any Democrat, be it Hillary Clinton or someone else.
I am excited about the 2016 field in a way I have not been excited about either the 2008 or 2012 fields. The media will not be able, this year, to talk about a weak Republican field, though they may try. This is also a reason the major Republican donors might want to rethinking trying to consolidate the field quickly. The candidate who will do best in the general will be the candidate who can win the small dollar donors, not the large dollar donors.
With so many gubernatorial picks, the mega-donors of the GOP might want to see which of them can break through and connect to the small dollar donors on their own terms. The odds are always, in a Republican primary, with Governors. Letting them go at it alone, relying on their own bases of funding and messaging, will have a way of shaking up the race and thinning the herd in a way productive to both the interests of the conservative base and the less conservative mega-donors.
/johnny
What field? There is no field until someone actually decides to run.
As long as Romeny or christie are in.the mix then.the fix is.in
Most are waiting to be "annointed" by the RINOs of the GOP-e.
If a candidate supports abortion, the candidate is liberal.
If a candidate supports amnesty, the candidate is liberal.
If the candidate supports gun control, the candidate is liberal.
If the candidate supports socialized medicine, the candidate is liberal.
If the candidate supports bigger federal government, the candidate is liberal.
I won't be voting for a liberal.
/johnny
Christie Kreme?
Another Bush?
Son Of Paul?
This is the starting lineup?!?
Anybody who expects the GOP Elite to nominate a conservative for 2016 needs to have their head examined. It will be another “moderate” Republican, and they will probably win. Socialist light.
The forum will waste countless millions of hours pushing against this tide and promoting this or that conservative who has no chance for nomination because the GOP elite will sabatoge them at every turn and never support them.
After great anger and whining and denial and fury, we will have another “moderate” Republican like Jeb Bush as president to continue the unbroken push toward socialism.
The fix is in and anybody who doesn’t believe this by now needs to have their head examined or get in touch with the reality that is the GOP elite and their control of the Republican party.
Abandon Hope because Jeb Bush or some other socialist light panzy is going to be the next US president. NOT a Conservative.
In your mind, who from that list is NOT a liberal republican?
I love Ted but the media will crucify him. The rest a Lilliputians.
That leaves Walker, Pence and maybe Perry. I am not sure Perry can recover from his back-pain / being on meds poor performance in the debates in 12'.
That leaves Walker-Pence or Pence-Walker as our ticket IMHO
Let's just get-r-done.
I won't vote for a pro-abortion, pro-amnesty, gun-control, socialized medicine, big government liberal.
Are you saying conservatives SHOULD vote for a liberal candidate?
/johnny
Conservatives won't vote for a liberal.
Politics is messy, unless the fix is in.
/johnny
Walker 2016
Well Eric apparently has not heard that the big Texas donors are all waiting around to see if Jeb wants to run. If not Jeb then Mitt. They are holding Perry off and very uninterested in Ted Cruz. Its the same old same old.
So you think the media won't crucify the others.....I don't give a rats ass what the liberal media does.....he is the best of the lot hands down.
Cruz
Walker
Pence
Those are the only three GOP candidates I would consider voting for in 2016. The top two would make an awesome ticket. I prefer Cruz myself but I can live with a Walker presidency. If those two fail I would look at Pence if he were in the field. Forget about New Jersey Doughboy, the Bush Dynasty III, the Amnesty Boys Mitt & Paul, any other RINO who wants to run.
Marco Rubio is “well qualified to be President and to stand up to any Democrat, be it Hillary Clinton or someone else?” Is there another Marco Rubio I haven’t heard of?
Yes they will and no I don’t care what the Lib-media think. I think Pence - Walker will keep them off balance. We need Senate Majority leader Ted Cruz, but that is just my 2 cents...
A close look at Rubio's positions, and you'll find
He IS a dimocrap!
They’re almost all pro-amnesty which is pretty much turning the lights out on conservatism and the GOP.
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