Biggest "Rising Star" flops

[HisGrace]

1. Jerry Brown
2. Richard Tisei
3. Scott Brown
4. Paul Ryan

Brown and Ryan both have objectively had pretty great careers, though. Neither of them became president but they've had better careers than 99.9% of people in politics. Ryan's Speaker of the House, which is an achievement in and of itself even if he's not a particularly good one. He's probably never going to be president, but I don't think he wants to be so who cares?

Brown sucked as a presidential candidate, but he keeps getting Governor of California so its not like he's an utter failure.

I'm surprised no one has said Anthony Weiner, yet.

[HisGrace]

Chris Christie is the obvious answer considering there is probably a 50/50 chance (at least) that he would have been elected president in 2012 had he run (compared to where he is now).  Also, Bobby Jindal and Jon Ossoff are good choices here too.

Ehh, he'd have done about the same as Romney.

[HisGrace]

Was John Edwards ever considered a "rising star." If so, him. I would also add George Allen, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Patrick Murphey, Scott Brown, John Ossoff, Rubio, and Scott Walker,  and there are probably a few others that should be mentioned as well.

People were very high on Edwards after 04 and thought he had a real shot to be president essentially in the "inspiring newcomer" role that Obama ended up playing. Obama is probably the reason his campaign went nowhere.

Palin is a good one too, surprised no one said her. In 09/10 people were talking about her like she was the presumptive Republican front-runner, but then she never held public office again and essentially became a TV pundit, but didn't even get her own show on Fox News or anything.