As the 2016 presidential election moves closer, Millennials are getting ready to exercise their right to vote — many of them for the first time. While the Democratic Party has a clear leading candidate in Hillary Clinton (perhaps our first woman President?!), the Republicans have quite a long list of candidates aiming for a spot on the ballot.
Among the 14 Republican hopefuls, a few have already stepped out as front-runners for the nomination. With only one candidate able to represent the GOP come November 2016, it's likely that you'll start hearing these names more often. At the time of this article the declared Republican candidates are as follows:
Since their entrance into the race, a few hopefuls have taken the lead in the polls. Jeb Bush leads in the polls at 19 percent, followed surprisingly by Donald Trump at 12 percent. Following Trump is Mike Huckabee with 8 percent, Rand Paul and Ben Carson tied at 7 percent rounding out the top 5. At the time of the polls New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had not yet declared his running.
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is the former governor of Florida and the son of one former president and brother to another. He holds a strong stance on immigration and supports a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the United States. He has a pro-life stance on abortion, supports the Patriot Act (The NSA mass surveillance program), and has supported the Common Core education standards.
Donald Trump is known primarily for his business ventures as a real estate titan and for his reality show "The Apprentice." In hot water recently for racist comments, it's likely that Trump will not have the support he needs to succeed as the Republican nominee.
Former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, entered the Republican race with the hopes of connecting to the Christian conservatives. Huckabee has spoken out against the Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage. As part of his campaign he has reaffirmed his support for Israel (Huckabee opposes the Israel and the Palestine coming to a two-state solution) and wants to come down tough against Islamic extremism. He does not support the NSA and the Patriot Act, has been wishy-washy on his opinion of the Common Core and is pro-life.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul entered the race with libertarian views such as small-government fiscal conservatism. He has been quoted saying “What you do on your cell phone is none of the government’s damn business,” which sets him apart from many Republicans. He also has criticized the Obama administration noting the growth in federal spending and increases in regulations on everything from the environment to national security. His stance on foreign aid may be one of his downfalls in selling himself as a unique and new kind of Republican candidate. He initially supported abolishing foreign aid altogether, but under pressure from conservatives, he made an exception for Israel.
Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson is another Republican hopeful who lacks experience in the political world. To some candidates this is a breath of fresh air, as Carson has been openly critical of a federal government growing too large. However, his lack of experience and hesitation to explain details regarding policy proposals leads to skepticism from the voters. The only issue he is clearly well informed and passionate about is healthcare.
Though at the time of the polls he came in with 6 percent, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is a nominee hopeful to also look out for. He has found support in the Tea Party which led to his election in 2010. As the son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio may appeal to the Hispanic voters in a way that no other candidate can rival, besides, of course, Jeb Bush. In his book, "American Dreams," Rubio describes interesting economic policy ideas, one of which involves allowing investors to pay for college students’ tuition in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings.
Other Candidate Fun Facts:
Candidate Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, is the only female candidate declared so far in the Republican race.
Former New York Governor George Pataki is the only Republican supporter of abortion rights and the only advocate for gay rights.
Ted Cruz has set the record for number of cases argued before the Supreme Court with a total of nine cases.
To find out more information on all the candidates, where they stand in the polls, their campaigns, and the issues please visit:
The New York Times candidates coverage
The Atlantic's presidential race cheat sheet
