Incredibly Dark Horses (R) - The Time Capsule

[Nixon in '80]

Make your boldest prediction.

Name the least talked about, least likely Republican who, in your opinion, has a legitimate shot at the 2012 GOP Presidential nomination.

In four years, we'll all come back and laugh at ourselves.

[Daniel Z]

John Hoeven

[Sensei]

Let's say Rounds 

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Judd Gregg?

[Lunar]

I think Rounds is the darkest of dark horses.  But I'm pretty sure Huntsman would count as a dark horse to the majority of the country and media, and at least Huntsman has shown some indication that he's interested.

I think Jindal is a "dark horse" but Huntsman is an "incredibly dark horse."  If you want a "black hole horse" maybe you could look at Hoeven

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

What about Hagel? If the party wanted to go in a slightly more moderate direction while sticking with some of its more traditional (theocratic) values he would be perfect.

[Purple State]

I'm sticking with Haley Barbour as my Republican dark horse.

[Keystone Phil]

Rick Santorum

[© tweed]

I'm sticking with Haley Barbour as my Republican dark horse.

tobacco! lobbyist! = no

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

[Purple State]

I'm sticking with Haley Barbour as my Republican dark horse.

tobacco! lobbyist! = no

He won't beat Obama, but I think he'll at least make a good showing in the Republican primaries if not win.

[Keystone Phil]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

Uh huh. We knew it was coming. I remember people laughing off Obama being mentioned this time four years ago.

By the way, a Dem on the forum not only agrees that he'll be the nominee but that he'll be the next President (after Obama) and yet you never get on his case.

[Nixon in '80]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

Uh huh. We knew it was coming. I remember people laughing off Obama being mentioned this time four years ago.

By the way, a Dem on the forum not only agrees that he'll be the nominee but that he'll be the next President (after Obama) and yet you never get on his case.

Who, out of curiosity?

[paul718]

Paul Ryan

[Keystone Phil]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

Uh huh. We knew it was coming. I remember people laughing off Obama being mentioned this time four years ago.

By the way, a Dem on the forum not only agrees that he'll be the nominee but that he'll be the next President (after Obama) and yet you never get on his case.

Who, out of curiosity?

TCash

He said it on more than one occassion (once recently, by the way). I contacted him, thinking he was mocking me but he told me he was serious.

[Nixon in '80]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

Uh huh. We knew it was coming. I remember people laughing off Obama being mentioned this time four years ago.

By the way, a Dem on the forum not only agrees that he'll be the nominee but that he'll be the next President (after Obama) and yet you never get on his case.

Who, out of curiosity?

TCash

He said it on more than one occassion (once recently, by the way). I contacted him, thinking he was mocking me but he told me he was serious.

Well, I disagree... but if it's any consolation, of the three people featured in your sig, I think Santorum is the second most likely to be President some day... so, that's something.

[Keystone Phil]

Rick Santorum

...

OMG. LOL.

Uh huh. We knew it was coming. I remember people laughing off Obama being mentioned this time four years ago.

By the way, a Dem on the forum not only agrees that he'll be the nominee but that he'll be the next President (after Obama) and yet you never get on his case.

Who, out of curiosity?

TCash

He said it on more than one occassion (once recently, by the way). I contacted him, thinking he was mocking me but he told me he was serious.

Well, I disagree... but if it's any consolation, of the three people featured in your sig, I think Santorum is the second most likely to be President some day... so, that's something.

Haha, yeah, Schock is more likely than Santorum and saying that Santorum is more likely than Westbrook isn't saying much. That was your point though. 

[RI]

Barack Obama. No one will see it coming.

[Mr. Morden]

I think Rounds is the darkest of dark horses.  But I'm pretty sure Huntsman would count as a dark horse to the majority of the country and media, and at least Huntsman has shown some indication that he's interested.

I think Jindal is a "dark horse" but Huntsman is an "incredibly dark horse."  If you want a "black hole horse" maybe you could look at Hoeven

I agree with most of this.  I would go with Huntsman as the most likely dark horse, but Hoeven and Rounds rate higher than he does on the "obscure-o-meter", and they'd be next on my list if we're not counting Huntsman as a dark horse.....Rounds probably more likely than Hoeven.

Where I differ is that I don't think Jindal would count as a dark horse.  Or maybe he would, but it depends on how you define "dark horse".  I personally rate the chances of Jindal running in 2012 as fairly low.  (Though if he did run, I think he'd have a good shot at the nomination.)  However, for the political media, Jindal is probably the 4th most commonly mentioned potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, after Huckabee, Palin, and Romney.  So if we're going by media expectations, then Jindal is too strong a contender to count as a "dark horse" (unless everyone but Huck, Palin, and Romney is a dark horse).

Why is there virtually no one from the Senate in the mix for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, at least judging by who's being speculated about?

[Josh/Devilman88]

Sen. Olympia  Snowe(R-ME)
Gov. Jon Huntsman(R-UT)
Cong. Paul Ryan(R-WI)

A Snowe/Ryan ticket could be good.

[Lunar]

I think Rounds is the darkest of dark horses.  But I'm pretty sure Huntsman would count as a dark horse to the majority of the country and media, and at least Huntsman has shown some indication that he's interested.

I think Jindal is a "dark horse" but Huntsman is an "incredibly dark horse."  If you want a "black hole horse" maybe you could look at Hoeven

I agree with most of this.  I would go with Huntsman as the most likely dark horse, but Hoeven and Rounds rate higher than he does on the "obscure-o-meter", and they'd be next on my list if we're not counting Huntsman as a dark horse.....Rounds probably more likely than Hoeven.

Where I differ is that I don't think Jindal would count as a dark horse.  Or maybe he would, but it depends on how you define "dark horse".  I personally rate the chances of Jindal running in 2012 as fairly low.  (Though if he did run, I think he'd have a good shot at the nomination.)  However, for the political media, Jindal is probably the 4th most commonly mentioned potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, after Huckabee, Palin, and Romney.  So if we're going by media expectations, then Jindal is too strong a contender to count as a "dark horse" (unless everyone but Huck, Palin, and Romney is a dark horse).

I was thinking the ()'s were true.  Jindal is probably about as much of a dark horse as someone like Romney was, so I suppose not at all.  I was thinking in the public's sense, but I suppose the public is not going to be surprised at anyone because they weren't expecting anyone (except last year's losers).  So yeah you convinced me on Jindal.

Why is there virtually no one from the Senate in the mix for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, at least judging by who's being speculated about?

Well, a lot of GOP Senators are dropping like flies   Also, I would say that there are a limited number of rising stars.  John Cornyn?  No, the country is sick of Texas at the moment.  Lamar Alexander is 68 and he's run for the president two times before (and has a wealth of experience in many sectors) I think he might qualify...

[elcorazon]

Jeb Bush

[paul718]

Why is there virtually no one from the Senate in the mix for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, at least judging by who's being speculated about?

Well, a lot of GOP Senators are dropping like flies   Also, I would say that there are a limited number of rising stars.  John Cornyn?  No, the country is sick of Texas at the moment.  Lamar Alexander is 68 and he's run for the president two times before (and has a wealth of experience in many sectors) I think he might qualify...

In my estimation, the only guys coming out of the Senate with a shot would be Kyl, Ensign, or Thune.  But I think Thune is positioning himself for the Leadership, so I doubt he'd run.  And Kyl is old, isn't he?  If the nominee comes out of the Senate I think it'd be Ensign, but I'd be extremely surprised if it came out of the Senate. 

Speaking of Lamar Alexander, why wasn't he ever successful?  He ran in '96 and 2000, right?  '96 seemed to be entitled to Dole, but I would think he'd have been more competetive in 2000.  Was the support for Bush THAT strong?  (I wasn't really interested in politics in 2000)

[Lunar]

I think Kyl is angling for House leadership (plus, it would seem weird after McCain just ran).

I forgot about Thune, yeah he's def. a possibility.  Ensign has good connections too since he was the chairman of the NRSC

[Keystone Phil]

I think Kyl is angling for House leadership (plus, it would seem weird after McCain just ran).

I forgot about Thune, yeah he's def. a possibility.  Ensign has good connections too since he was the chairman of the NRSC

Kyl would be Senate leadership. 

I'd love for Kyl to run but it isn't happening. Thune would be nice. Ensign would be awesome. I thought he'd be perfect for McCain's running mate this year.