Presidential Race about to kick off

[Lanman87]

Traditionally, the Presidential race kicks off after the midterm elections in November. Several Republicans are already doing the leg work to prepare for a campaign. I read that Trump is planning on starting his campaign this summer.

I you believe the papers, there is a growing contingent of Democrats that do not want Biden to run again and may even be trying to keep him from running. My assumption, due to his health/mental capacity is that he will not run again.

I'm not a Trump fan. It has nothing to do with policy but with temperament. I think Republicans can find someone with the same policies but who doesn't come across as vindictive and petty.

So here is my initial list of potential candidates on the Republican side I would support, in no particular order.

Ron DeSantis- Great resume, Governors are usually make better Presidents than Senators.
Nikki Haley- successful governor, foreign policy experience as Trump's ambassador to the U.N., well spoken, pro-life. Plus, I would love for the first female president to be a pro-life conservative republican.
Kristi Noem- outside shot to be the Republican candidate, but is a successful governor that is well like in her state. Has some controversy in her past.
Ted Cruz- I'm not a fan of his personality but you can't deny he fights for what he believes
Marco Rubio- better personality than Cruz, not as strong of a candidate
Mike Pence- Trump lovers will never let him win, but I actually like Pence.

For the Democrats you have to think the usual suspects are ready if Biden announces he will not run.

Kamala Harris- she may have a tougher time getting the nomination than she thinks
Hilary Clinton- worst presidential candidate in my lifetime
Bernie Sanders- democrats will never let him win
Gavin Newsom- I think he is the early favorite if Biden doesn't run.

 

[Lamb]

If we're going to shoot for a female President, then this is our best bet for a successful one.

Nikki Haley- successful governor, foreign policy experience as Trump's ambassador to the U.N., well spoken, pro-life. Plus, I would love for the first female president to be a pro-life conservative republican.

Republicans could always play the gender attack game that Democrats do and accuse Democrats of not wanting a female in office if they gripe about her. You KNOW that's how they did with Hillary when Republicans didn't want her for President.

I think if Trump won, that if we didn't have Republicans controlling both House and Senate that it would be a repeat term of the left trying to constantly come up with ways to Impeach him.

If only the left and the right would work for the people and actually accomplish things instead of lining their own pockets and bickering, this country would be improved.

 

[Lanman87]

Republicans could always play the gender attack game that Democrats do and accuse Democrats of not wanting a female in office if they gripe about her. You KNOW that's how they did with Hillary when Republicans didn't want her for President.

Nikki Haley is also an ethnic minority. Her parents are from India. That could peal not only the "we only will for a woman vote" but also the "we will only vote for a minority vote" away from Harris.

I don't know how great a president she would be, but I think in a head to head with Kamala Harris she wins easily. It would take away the "candidate of destiny" tag from Kamala Harris.

 

[Albion]

Gov. DeSantis is the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination in 2024 (if it's not Trump). The popularity of the others mentioned earlier is close to nil, so far as the presidential nomination is concerned; and Mike Pence has no chance whatsoever, so I don't know why he's running around the country campaigning at present.

Ambassador Haley is suspect in Conservative circles. Gov. Noem, although liked, represents a state that brings almost no Electoral College votes to a Republican ticket in 2024. May be a good choice for VP, however.

As for the Democrats, neither Biden nor Harris will be on the ticket, but it's hard to see anyone else who could be a serious contender unless it's Hillary. Gov. Newsom is a possible contender for the nomination, but his unsavory personality and his record as an extremist Governor of a state that's way, way, out of the mainstream of American politics would make him unelectable...which the power brokers in the Democratic Party realize.

 

[Lanman87]

Gov. DeSantis is the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination in 2024 (if it's not Trump). The popularity of the others mentioned earlier is close to nil, so far as the presidential nomination is concerned; and Mike Pence has no chance whatsoever, so I don't know why he's running around the country campaigning at present.

Yes, but it is very early. Bill Clinton got less than 3% of the vote in the Iowa caucus in 1992. As long as DeSantis doesn't pull a Gary Hart then my guess is that he will be the nominee. It depends on how loyal Trump supporters are to Trump. The republican party is made up to two factions right now. The Trump loyalist and those who want to move on from Trump. DeSantis has to show the Trump loyalist that he is as strong as Trump and those who want to move on that he doesn't have the baggage of Trump.


I agree that Pence doesn't have a chance. Haley may not have a chance either, but at this point she would be my choice. I think she is more conservative that either of the Bush Presidents. But she is not a populist like Trump. I also think she would be the hardest for any democrat to beat.

 

[Albion]

Yes, but it is very early. Bill Clinton got less than 3% of the vote in the Iowa caucus in 1992.

Yes, there is always a chance of someone coming out of nowhere and catching on. A surprise winner of a statewide race this coming November could be such a person, but there doesn't seem to be a such a dark horse this year.

It depends on how loyal Trump supporters are to Trump. The republican party is made up to two factions right now.

Nothing seems to be denting the commitment of the Trump faction, however, and it's in no mood to keep on losing in intra-party struggles. Never before have I observed such a determination on the part of the Conservatives not to defer to the establishment just because the latter officials say the right words at election time. By now, "talk is cheap" has become the widespread POV of the Conservatives who are additionally motivated by the realization that those people sat on their hands when the Democrats began to make the January 6 hoax their main talking point.

Haley may not have a chance either, but at this point she would be my choice...I also think she would be the hardest for any democrat to beat.

Could be, but that's unlikely to get her the nomination.

 

[Fritz Kobus]

If only the left and the right would work for the people and actually accomplish things instead of lining their own pockets and bickering, this country would be improved.

And what needs to be accomplished is to nullify all unconstitutional laws and regulations. That is a good start. Many of the three-letter agencies and many others also need to be eliminated. This will take time and should be by attrition and incentive for people to leave.

 

[Albion]

Many of the three-letter agencies and many others also need to be eliminated. This will take time and should be by attrition and incentive for people to leave.

There are almost three million employees of the federal government, so it is unlikely that attrition and/or offering an incentive are going to get the job done--at least not in the foreseeable future.

 

[tango]

It would be interesting to see the Republicans fielding a non-white female candidate, and actually playing the race/gender card right back at the Democrats. I remember in 2008 when Sarah Palin was ridiculed by the left, and how the "voting for anyone else is sexist" didn't seem to apply to her. I guess Not Being Racist is more important than Not Being Sexist.

Of the Democrat candidates listed so far it's hard to see much to like about any of them. Biden seems to be watching his star falling ever-faster and Harris would most likely be forgotten by now were it not for a racist and sexist insistence that a black woman be Biden's running mate. She didn't last long in the primaries if I recall, so it's not as if she had a lot of people behind her. I think the nation has made it pretty clear by now that it doesn't want Hillary to be president - even in 2016 it seemed a pretty common belief even among diehard Democrats that her main redeeming feature was Not Being Trump.

Bernie might be popular with many although the Democrats have shut him out before and will probably do it again. Gavin Newsom seems like the kind of candidate that would make the hardcore left cheer but lack appeal to anyone from the hard right to the moderate left.

Who knows, if we're going for a clown show we might as well put AOC on the ticket.

 

[Fritz Kobus]

There are almost three million employees of the federal government, so it is unlikely that attrition and/or offering an incentive are going to get the job done--at least not in the foreseeable future.

Probably why the extra policing staff hired to deal with rum runners during prohibition transitioned into what I believe is now the ATF.

But with nearly 3 million federal employees, that alone should tell us something went far wrong, long long ago. I think something with FDR and subsequent administrations.

 

[Albion]

Probably why the extra policing staff hired to deal with rum runners during prohibition transitioned into what I believe is now the ATF.

But with nearly 3 million federal employees, that alone should tell us something went far wrong, long long ago. I think something with FDR and subsequent administrations.

Oh, I agree that it's alarming, but I was replying only to the suggestion that the matter could be corrected through attrition.

 

[Fritz Kobus]

Oh, I agree that it's alarming, but I was replying only to the suggestion that the matter could be corrected through attrition.

Right, and your point is a good one. It took a hundred or so years to get to this point, it will take perhaps as long to undo it without major upheaval.

 

[NewCreation435]

I don't know if Nikki would run for office if Trump is going to. You can be sure that opponents of Trump or even those inside of Republican party will hang over this that he could be prosecuted by the justice department and in jail and not avaialble. Desantis has the advantage of being well known in Florida and Florida always seems important in an election.

 

[Lees]

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