Chris Christie: New Jersey Governor. Announced his candidacy last week, still forming his platform, but has major support from Moderates.
Chances: Too early to tell, but will be a big player.
Bobby Jindal: Governor of Louisiana. Has support from Catholics, but harsh criticism from LA and his inability to gain national traction will hinder his ability to get ahead of the wide field of social conservatives.
Chances: Little, if any.
Donald Trump: The Republican Party’s biggest question mark. No one can seem to make heads or tails of his candidacy. I, for one, think it’s a publicity stunt for another unbearable season of "Celebrity Apprentice."
Chances: NONE. LEAVE THE RACE, TRUMP.
Jeb Bush: Former Governor of Florida, this guy has winning presidential elections in his blood. He has made the most noise in fundraising, and may just be the frontrunner to win the nomination. Time will tell if the hardcore conservatives will buy into his moderate views.
Chances: Very high, if solely on name alone.
Rick Perry: Former Texas Governor. If the election was based solely in Texas, Perry would win by a landslide. Immigration hardliners are some of Perry’s biggest backers, but his harsh stance may scare off moderates.
Chances: Maybe, if he strays away from 2012 Rick Perry, which lost him the nomination.
Lindsay Graham: Former Senator from South Carolina. John McCain’s closest ally in the Senate. Moderate on most issues, but very hawkish on foreign policy.
Rick Santorum: Former Senator from Pennsylvania, Runner-Up in 2012 GOP Race. Social conservatives love Santorum, but his mouth has gotten him into trouble in the past.
Chances: Slight, but still enough to make noise.
Mike Huckabee: Former Governor of Arkansas. Social conservative evangelicals love him. Fox News watchers will vote for him on name alone, but can he overcome the third place finish in 2008
Chances: Huckabee will get my vote in the primary, and will be a strong force in the race for the nomination.
Dr. Ben Carson: Former head of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. Whoever told him to run for President needs a tail-whippin’. Grassroots conservatives love Dr. Carson, but his eclectic political stance will cause him to fall out of the race.
Chances: None.
Carly Fiorina: Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Nobody really knows who is backing Fionira, so even though she is the highest rated female candidate, she won’t make it far.
Chances: None.
Marco Rubio: Senator from Florida. Cuban-American who will almost certainly win the Latino vote, but also has the policy and political experience to win over both moderate and hardcore conservatives.
Chances: Will heavily challenge, in my opinion, Bush and Huckabee for the nomination.
Rand Paul: Senator from Kentucky. The darling of the Tea Party will make noise in the push for the nomination, but his libertarian views will petrify moderates and really anyone who is not also a libertarian.
Chances: Unless a major change in republican policy occurs, very little.
Ted Cruz: Senator from Texas. Cruz has a loyal following of hardcore conservatives, and could win over tea partiers who won’t back Rand Paul because he’s a whackjob.
Chances: His outspoken nature will not bode well in a general election, so slim to none.
PREDICTIONS:
The three frontrunners approaching next July’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland will be Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, and Marco Rubio. Although Huckabee will receive my full support, I believe that Jeb Bush will end up winning the nomination because of his appeal to both moderate and hardcore republicans, with Huckabee and Rubio coming up just short.
Bush will almost undoubtedly have to face Hillary Clinton in the November Presidential election, who will be a formidable foe.
