Pawlenty may be the first to declare his prez candidacy
With every single member of the potential 2012 Repub presidential field still playing it at least somewhat coy about whether they will run, Wash Post blogger Chris Cillizza reads the tea leaves for you and and breaks the list down to those who will surely run (because they are already running — and that includes our former governor), those that are genuinely undecided (or at least Cillizza doesn't know that they have crossed the Rubicon to in-ness, and this group includes Michele Bachmann) and those who have said they will not run and Cillizza believes them. The lists:
Running for prez: Former Speaker Newt Gingrich; former Utah Gov. and recently resigned ambassador to China Jon Huntsman; former Minn. Guv Tim Pawlenty; former Mass. Guv Mitt Romney; former Penn. Sen. Rick Santorum.
On the fence: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann; Mississippi Guv Haley Barbour; Indiana Guv Mitch Daniels; South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint; former N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Ark. Guv Mike Huckabee; former Alaska Guv Sarah Palin; Texas Congressman Ron Paul; S.D. Sen. John Thune.
This group has said they will not run and Cillizza believes them: N.J. Guv Chris Christie; Louisiana Guv Bobby Jindal; Texas Guv Rick Perry; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Here’s what Cillizza wrote about the two Minnesotans:
Pawlenty “has effectively been running for president since he announced he wouldn't run for a third term in 2010. Most smart strategists expect Pawlenty to be the first major candidate to formally announce his plans to run for the GOP nod.
“Bachmann is a late-arriver to the 2012 presidential chatter but her recent visit to Iowa suggests she is taking a hard look at the race. Bachmann's fate is likely tied to Sarah Palin; if the former Alaska governor runs, it's hard to see the space for the Minnesota Congresswoman in the field."
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Comments (4)
First in; first out?
The really strong (relatively speaking) candidates are waiting for 2016 -- they don't want to run against an incumbent whose personal ratings are higher than Reagan's were at a comparable point.
Teapaw has painted himself into a corner.
He has to run. By the time the NEXT chance comes along he will be yesterday's news.
For all the bragging and swaggering, the GOP will lose the next presidential election. They don't have a single believable candidate right now.
Huntsman is the current dark horse and might be able to at least put up a fight.
Bachmann? C'mon get serious.
Huntsman is likely the best matchup for the general, but can he survive a GOP primary? Unlikely. Huntsman is a longer shot than Pawlenty
This is the GOP's problem;
they've been so co-opted by the TP right wing that no one who could get the nomination could get elected.