Christie Leads Prospective 2016 Republicans In New Hampshire
Since we already took a look at the potential 2016 Democrats in Iowa, let’s take a look at their Republican counterparts in New Hampshire:
Twenty-one percent of Republicans in the state favor Christie as the party’s nominee in four years. A cluster of prospective candidates trail Christie but still crack 10 percent: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (14 percent), former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (13 percent), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (11 percent) and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (10 percent).
Ryan and Rice enjoy the highest name recognition among Republican voters in the state and that helps give them both a favorability rating above 80 percent. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, on the other hand, is viewed favorably by only 48 percent of his fellow Republicans in New Hampshire. Along with Paul, only former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are viewed unfavorably by more than 20 percent of New Hampshire Republicans.
Obviously, name recognition plays a large role in these polls and they don’t really mean anything at the moment. But it’s never too early to start thinking about the next election, right?
Oh pluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuaese!
The ’16 GOP presidential primary likely will be the most toxic disaster of a political train wreck in history.
Sure, of course, it’s possible it’ll be small cadre of sentient and professional politicos, e.g., Christie, Rubio, Ryan, Jindal, Mitch Daniels, and people of that ilk. Possible. But what are the odds?
I’m thinking it’ll be a tragicomedy of epic proportions. Palin. Bachmann. Rand Paul. Jim DeMint. Santorum part deux. Quickly to degenerate into a pissing and crapping match about deportations and border fences, abortion, contraception, gay marriage, evolution, etc. With the likes of Christie and Ryan, etc., quickly being drowned out by the shouting and screaming.
The Dems might very well win the ’16 contest by default.
As the media continues to spliter and the new of readers or viewers of any one outlet decrease, I wonder if the media will be very interested in covering the Republican primary season in 2016 given the much greater interest there will be in the Democratic Primary.
If Nate Silver is showing that the Republicans have little chance of winning, will the networks and national outlets really want to spend money covering the irrelevant Republicans?
@Tsar Nicholas:
If whoever is the front runner for the Democrats wins both the Iowa causes and the New Hampshire primary, everyone will know who is going to be the next president a full year before the inaugural. Maybe Silver will go back to baseball or sports analysis when politics becomes very predictable.
just wait until New Hampshire Republicans find out that Governor Christie had good things to say about President Obama. Right now, I’m thinking that Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio could have the head start.
I’m rooting for Rand Paul. We need someone in the White House thats concerned about the debt and personal liberty!
@Seth: 20 years ago, I might have supported that idea. But Rand Paul would get absolutely crushed if he were somehow nominated for the Republican nomination. We’re talking 538-0 here. Ryan might do slightly better.
I think Christie would actually have a chance in the general election, if Republicans were wise enough to give him that chance (and I don’t think they are collectively wise enough). Rubio, maybe. Rice will not run. Although I don’t find Jeb Bush particularly repulsive, I don’t think America is ready for another Bush for many, many years.
Yeah Franklin, Rand Paul would get crushed, so we better nominate another moderate like McLame or Obamney. They were totally electable.
Go for it, nominate Rand Paul. It will keep liberals happy for another four years.
I might note that I voted for his dad in at least one election (possibly two, it’s been so long). It’s not that I don’t respect his consistency or ideals even when I disagree with them. But whether they’re great or not, America has rejected them. 538-0.