Can you see any of these Republicans running....

[JSojourner]

I have not listed any of the very old Senators or Governors, those whose names have already been floated (even remotely) and those who are tainted by scandal. I am also leaving out house members because the list would just be unwieldly.


The idea here is to see if there's any sort of consensus on who might emerge from the shadows and surprise us all in 2011.

[ConservativeIllini]

I put only Demint.  I have always believed Mike Rounds would be a good candidate, but he just doesn't seem to have any interest in the office.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Brownback and Hutchinson seem very likely.

[Conservative frontier]

Brownback, Burr, Sessions, Rounds.

[perdedor]

I have a sneaking suspicion that if Rick Perry is reelected, he'll throw his hat in the ring (and fail miserably). At the very least, I think he'll form an exploratory committee.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Perry may be the tea-party candidate if he wins reelection and Palin doesn't run.

[Mr. Morden]

I have a sneaking suspicion that if Rick Perry is reelected, he'll throw his hat in the ring (and fail miserably). At the very least, I think he'll form an exploratory committee.

Logically, it makes no sense for him to wage a risky reelection campaign that he may end up losing if he's just going to turn around and run for president the second he's sworn in for his fourth term.  (I mean, he's already been governor for 10 years.  What does he have to prove by winning yet another term?)

That said, Perry doesn't strike me as the type to necessarily make logical political decisions, so maybe he will end up doing just that.

[perdedor]

I have a sneaking suspicion that if Rick Perry is reelected, he'll throw his hat in the ring (and fail miserably). At the very least, I think he'll form an exploratory committee.

Logically, it makes no sense for him to wage a risky reelection campaign that he may end up losing if he's just going to turn around and run for president the second he's sworn in for his fourth term.  (I mean, he's already been governor for 10 years.  What does he have to prove by winning yet another term?)

That said, Perry doesn't strike me as the type to necessarily make logical political decisions, so maybe he will end up doing just that.

Precisely. Perry is a nutjob.

[The Mikado]

None of the above.  Brownback will be too engrossed in his new career as Governor of Kansas, and the rest of them don't seem like the type.  The only one on that list I see as any sort of chance of running is DeMint, and I think he's more angling to be Republican Senate Leader after McConnell's through than angling for President.

EDIT: Also, it's worth pointing out for those who aren't too familiar with her: Kay Bailey Hutchison is not running for president.  Ever.

[Vepres]

Jon Kyl seems to me to be the most likely of these.

Though I'm not sure it would be smart to nominate another Senator from Arizona named John

[hfred]

Maybe Brownback he did briefly try to run in 2008, so he obviously has an interest in being President. Thenagain he will only be 60 in 2016, so he doesn't need to run in 2012 if running for President is still his ultimate goal.

[KeeptheChange]

Kyl, DeMint or Sessions could be the ones to capture the nation's imagination and still manage to fire up the base.  Of course, I think Thune or Pence could do that just as well.  Both are top-tier candidates and men of the highest moral character.  But I get why they were left off the list as you're talking about those who are NOT being considered or talked about.

I agree that Rounds has been a brilliant governor but he has the small state problem.  Same goes for John Hoeven, who some say is a RINO.  (I don't think so.)  Rounds courageous stance for human life is wonderful but that may have painted him into the corner as a "one-issue" candidate like Gary Bauer was.

Kyl, DeMint and Sessions are among the titans of the Senate and -- like Thune or Pence -- would absolutely mop up the floor with Obama in a debate.  So yeah -- I hope they run.  God please don't let us get stuck with Palin!!  LOL

[The Mikado]

Kyl, DeMint and Sessions are among the titans of the Senate and -- like Thune or Pence -- would absolutely mop up the floor with Obama in a debate.  So yeah -- I hope they run.  God please don't let us get stuck with Palin!!  LOL

Oh, dear.  Please don't let Obama face off against an intellectual titan like Jeff Sessions.  We would be completely screwed.  I'm trembling at the prospect.

[Psychic Octopus]

I voted for Burr, I can see him as a "surprise" entry. I voted "Other", too, as I could see Frist running in the off-chance, but it would be unlikely.

[nhmagic]

I think that Olympia Snowe could take a crack at it and be mildly successful in New England.  I don't think she'd make it past the primaries because she is pro-choice and voted for Stimulus Senior.

Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell.  Rubio will be to green to make a run, his chance is 2016 or later should we not win and we will run Rubio in the future.

There are five key qualities we need in a candidate:
1)Money Machines - No one has this except Palin and Romney
2)Not Southern (except Huckabee or McDonnell) - many possibilites, I imagine we'll stray from the plains states as well - most of the candidates from the plains are boring
3)Excitement Factor - Only Palin has this right now
4)Solid Conservative - many choices, Romney's weakest here
5)Articulation of Views - Palin's weakness, but she could be playing it that way to catch people off guard.

[ScottM]

The only one on the list that I think is even slightly likely to run (though I don't see it happening at all) is DeMint. I also chose other on the off, off, off chance that someone like Bill Frist or George Allen might enter the race.

[Bo]

No.

[perdedor]

.
Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell. 

WTF? No.

[pbrower2a]

I think that Olympia Snowe could take a crack at it and be mildly successful in New England.  I don't think she'd make it past the primaries because she is pro-choice and voted for Stimulus Senior.

Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell.  Rubio will be to green to make a run, his chance is 2016 or later should we not win and we will run Rubio in the future.

There are five key qualities we need in a candidate:
1)Money Machines - No one has this except Palin and Romney
2)Not Southern (except Huckabee or McDonnell) - many possibilites, I imagine we'll stray from the plains states as well - most of the candidates from the plains are boring
3)Excitement Factor - Only Palin has this right now
4)Solid Conservative - many choices, Romney's weakest here
5)Articulation of Views - Palin's weakness, but she could be playing it that way to catch people off guard.

You forget one:

6)Not a nutcase, crook, crank, or extremist.

[KeeptheChange]

Kyl, DeMint and Sessions are among the titans of the Senate and -- like Thune or Pence -- would absolutely mop up the floor with Obama in a debate.  So yeah -- I hope they run.  God please don't let us get stuck with Palin!!  LOL

Oh, dear.  Please don't let Obama face off against an intellectual titan like Jeff Sessions.  We would be completely screwed.  I'm trembling at the prospect.

Sessions is a brilliant man.  Are you familiar with his experience on the bench?  He is a very capable legal mind and scholar.

[nhmagic]

I think that Olympia Snowe could take a crack at it and be mildly successful in New England.  I don't think she'd make it past the primaries because she is pro-choice and voted for Stimulus Senior.

Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell.  Rubio will be to green to make a run, his chance is 2016 or later should we not win and we will run Rubio in the future.

There are five key qualities we need in a candidate:
1)Money Machines - No one has this except Palin and Romney
2)Not Southern (except Huckabee or McDonnell) - many possibilites, I imagine we'll stray from the plains states as well - most of the candidates from the plains are boring
3)Excitement Factor - Only Palin has this right now
4)Solid Conservative - many choices, Romney's weakest here
5)Articulation of Views - Palin's weakness, but she could be playing it that way to catch people off guard.

You forget one:

6)Not a nutcase, crook, crank, or extremist.

Nutcases, cranks, crooks and extremists are ok - Obama's in office isnt' he?

[Katherine Harris is legit]

I think that Olympia Snowe could take a crack at it and be mildly successful in New England.  I don't think she'd make it past the primaries because she is pro-choice and voted for Stimulus Senior.

Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell.  Rubio will be to green to make a run, his chance is 2016 or later should we not win and we will run Rubio in the future.

There are five key qualities we need in a candidate:
1)Money Machines - No one has this except Palin and Romney
2)Not Southern (except Huckabee or McDonnell) - many possibilites, I imagine we'll stray from the plains states as well - most of the candidates from the plains are boring
3)Excitement Factor - Only Palin has this right now
4)Solid Conservative - many choices, Romney's weakest here
5)Articulation of Views - Palin's weakness, but she could be playing it that way to catch people off guard.

You forget one:

6)Not a nutcase, crook, crank, or extremist.

Nutcases, cranks, crooks and extremists are ok - Obama's in office isnt' he?

Karl Rove could get anyone elected.

[KeeptheChange]

I think that Olympia Snowe could take a crack at it and be mildly successful in New England.  I don't think she'd make it past the primaries because she is pro-choice and voted for Stimulus Senior.

Perry will be decimated.  He's Texan and has a southern drawl.  Too Bushian.  There are only two possible southerners that could run and they are Mike Huckabee and Bob McDonnell.  Rubio will be to green to make a run, his chance is 2016 or later should we not win and we will run Rubio in the future.

There are five key qualities we need in a candidate:
1)Money Machines - No one has this except Palin and Romney
2)Not Southern (except Huckabee or McDonnell) - many possibilites, I imagine we'll stray from the plains states as well - most of the candidates from the plains are boring
3)Excitement Factor - Only Palin has this right now
4)Solid Conservative - many choices, Romney's weakest here
5)Articulation of Views - Palin's weakness, but she could be playing it that way to catch people off guard.

You forget one:

6)Not a nutcase, crook, crank, or extremist.

Nutcases, cranks, crooks and extremists are ok - Obama's in office isnt' he?

Hahahaha!  True dat, Az.  And he stacked his cabinet with the same!  HIGH FIVE!!!!

[Torie]

DeMint might run, but not succeed. Other than that, no.

[minionofmidas]

(looks out the window) Nope, can't see any of them.