There has been a lot of discussion lately about the upcoming Presidential election in 2016. While it is still early, potential candidates on both sides have announced their intentions. Other potential candidates are being coy about whether they will run for President. The Iowa Caucus is set for February 1, 2016, followed by the New Hampshire primary election on February 9, 2016. Let’s take a look at who has thrown his or her hat in the ring while speculating on who has not.
Democrat Candidates
Formed an Exploratory Committee
Jim Webb – Former US Senator from Virginia and former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan
Likely to Run
Hillary Clinton – Former First Lady, former US Senator from New York and former Secretary of State under President Obama
Possible Candidates
Joe Biden – US Vice President and former US Senator from Delaware
Jerry Brown – Governor of California
Andrew Cuomo – Governor of New York
Martin O’Malley – Former Governor of Maryland
Bernie Sanders – US Senator from Vermont
Note: Senator Sanders is an Independent but if he were to run for President he would run as a Democrat.
Mark Warner – US Senator from Virginia
Elizabeth Warren – US Senator from Massachusetts
Potential Vice Presidential Candidates
Julian Castro – Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former Mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Republican Candidates
Formed an Exploratory Committee
Jeb Bush – Former Governor of Florida
Lindsey Graham – US Senator from South Carolina
Marco Rubio – US Senator from Florida
Scott Walker – Governor of Wisconsin
Likely to Run
Ben Carson – Head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Chris Christie – Governor of New Jersey
Carly Fiorina – Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard
Mike Huckabee – Former Governor of Arkansas
Rick Perry – Former Governor of Texas
Mitt Romney – Former Governor of Massachusetts and 2012 Republican nominee for President
Rick Santorum – Former US Senator from Pennsylvania
Possible Candidates
Ted Cruz – US Senator from Texas
Bobby Jindal – Governor of Louisiana
John Kasich – Governor of Ohio
Sarah Palin – Former Governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican nominee for Vice President
Rand Paul – US Senator from Kentucky
Donald Trump – Real estate magnate
Who do you like? Who do you dislike? Which candidates on both sides do you think will actually run? If Hillary Clinton does become the Democrat nominee who do you think would be able to beat her? Who on the Republican side should not run? Discuss your opinions and predictions here.
Scott Walker has executive experience and knows how to win difficult elections. He’s my choice so far. No offense to Cruz or Paul, but I didn’t vote for a junior senator who never ran anything in 2008 or 2012 and I’m not about to do it in 2016.
Not that I want a Dem to win, but I could live with Jim Webb. He doesn’t make me throw up in my mouth thinking about him, at least. For the GOP, I’m hoping for Cruz, Paul or Walker. If Perry has learned how to campaign he might be OK, too (as would Jindal). Palin isn’t going to run and the rest are just as bad as any of the Dems.