Which Republican would do the best and worst in Ohio's 18 electoral votes?

[Suburbia]

We all know that no Republican has won the White House without the Buckeye State. That being said, which Republican nominee; would do the best in Ohio, which Republican would do bad?

[Mister Mets]

Best: Rob Portman
Second-best: John Kasich
Best Non-Ohioan: Condoleeza Rice

Worst: Mike Pence (of those with a shot at the nomination)
Lowest Floor: Rand Paul. A Southern libertarian might not play well in a state that benefits from big government.

[ElectionsGuy]

Best: Rob Portman
Second-best: John Kasich
Best Non-Ohioan: Condoleeza Rice

Worst: Mike Pence (of those with a shot at the nomination)
Lowest Floor: Rand Paul. A Southern libertarian might not play well in a state that benefits from big government.

Eh, southern? I would use that lightly, besides Kentucky's right south of them and probably the most non-southern state in the south besides Virginia, Florida, and maybe West Virginia.

Also, how does Ohio benefit from big government?

[Never]

The best performing Republican nominees in Ohio would surely be favorite sons like John Kasich and Rob Portman, while the best out-of-staters would probably be Mike Huckabee or Scott Walker, who could focus their campaign on populist or fiscal issues that would reasonate with the the voters in Ohio.

The worst performing Republicans would probably be extremists who would not be liked by Ohioans, or residents of any other undecided state for that matter. In other words, Ted Cruz or Rick Santorum. 

[Rockefeller GOP]

I would call Kentucky Southern without hesitation...

[MATTROSE94]

Best: Rob Portman, Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee or Scott Walker
Worst: Ben Carson, Allen West, Ted Cruz or Rick Santorum (though Santorum could end up doing well with evangelical voters and so called "blue collar conservatives")

[Clermont County GOPer]

Best: Rob Portman, John Kasich, Scott Walker

Worst: Rand Paul

[Suburbia]

Best: Rob Portman, John Kasich, Scott Walker

Worst: Rand Paul

I thought that Paul being from neighboring Kentucky may help him in Ohio (especially Cincinnati area).

[pbrower2a]

Politically:



Mountain South

AR KY MO OK TN WV

Deep South

AL LA MS

Southeast

GA NC SC

Florida, Texas

in their own categories

Virginia is no longer Southern.

 

[TJ in Oregon]

Best: Rob Portman, John Kasich, Scott Walker

Worst: Rand Paul

I thought that Paul being from neighboring Kentucky may help him in Ohio (especially Cincinnati area).

Paul would be a bad candidate for Ohio, one of the worst if you're talking about comparing Ohio's vote with the national popular vote. Ohio likes its establishment candidates on both sides of the aisle, especially when it comes to thinks like drugs or the NSA. That being said, Paul would almost certainly get a higher percentage of the vote in Ohio than say Ted Cruz who would get obliterated nationally. Ohio's PVI would probably be more Republican for Cruz than Paul though.