GOP Nomination Power Rankings
This is very, very scientific. And accurate!
Presidential nomination. Obviously.
Rk. |
Candidate |
Chg. |
Last |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Tim Pawlenty |
NA |
NA |
Highly electable if he can generate any campaign funds. Electorate’s current focus on the economy would help him in the primary by shifting focus away from his centrist social views. Probably. |
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2 |
The Field |
NA |
NA |
Poised to take over the #1 spot soon? It seems probable that there’s a Mystery Person X out there who could do a much more credible job of harnessing the Zeitgeist than anyone else on this list. |
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3 |
Mitt Romney |
NA |
NA |
Will he remember that he’s a brilliant capitalist problem-solver this time around? |
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4 |
Mike Huckaby |
NA |
NA |
Has name recognition, but will have to call upon the several powers of Deity to assure that the electorate fails to notice that he’s got the same neo-con vision that got Republicans into this mess in the first place. |
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5 |
Rudy Giuliani |
NA |
NA |
A favorite of law enforcement and mafia families everywhere, famously “stood strong” (or something) during 9/11. Name recognition: all that matters. For now. |
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6 |
Bobby Jindal |
NA |
NA |
Still has an Obama-like story in his favor and it’s likely that the one disappointing speech he gave in ‘09 will have been forgotten by ‘11. Probably needs some sort of Louisiana Miracle economy-recovery story to have a real shot. |
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7 |
Sarah Palin |
NA |
NA |
Palin looking possibly underrated at #7 helps explain why the unspecified “Field” is looking so, so good right now. |
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8 |
Haley Barbour |
NA |
NA |
Sure, *everyone* wants a good ol’ boy Southern governor at the head of the US. Probably offensive to much of the libertarian-branch GOP, but would play well in Dixie. |
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9 |
Gary Johnson |
NA |
NA |
More electable than Ron Paul, if only due to his more-conventional charisma. Would have an easy time painting himself as an outsider, but his policy stances would likely scare the hell out of middle America as of today. Maybe that won’t matter in another year. |
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10 |
Newt Gingrich |
NA |
NA |
Is way more value to the GOP as the behind-the-scenes bridge between libertarians and neo-cons than he would be as president, but it’s not like there’s anyone significantly more deserving of being ranked. |
Also Receiving Votes: Scott Brown, Jeb Bush (too soon, Jeb, too soon), Eric Cantor, Mitch Daniels, Luis Fortuno (it’d be fun to watch *his* star rise), George Pataki, Ron Paul (too old, Ron, too old), Mike Pence, Tom Ridge, Rick Santorum (because what everyone wants is another senator as president), John Thune (ibid.).
Who’s “The Field”? It’s a bunch of people who aren’t really getting much speculation at present, but who are going to decide they might be interested over the next six-to-12 months. Maybe someone like: Jan Brewer, Jim DeMint, Carly Fiorina, Mitch McConnell, Bob McDonnell, Rick Perry, David Petraeus, Condoleezza Rice, Meg Whitman, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson… Possibilities are somewhat endless.