OK, so who would we rather run against?

[DanTex]

Let's leave the infighting aside for one thread. The way I see it, the GOP choices are:
1) Jeb Bush
2) The clown car

Understand, I'm only considering Jeb Bush as a non-clown in a very relative sense. And arguably Scott Walker has one arm out of the clown car (again, very relatively speaking).

Anyway, it's a touch choice for me. The clown car is easier to defeat, but if we do end up losing to them, the consequences will be disastrous. And we've already had one clown car candidate win the presidency (W Bush), so it's not like this is impossible to fathom.

I honestly don't know.

[Peacetrain]

1. I am absolutely terrified of Scott Walker

How he managed to stay Governor in Wisconsin post recall is a testament to his ability to hide his true agenda and pacify people.

He is not someone I would like to run against.. because his policies are so off the deep end of the pier.. he is anti union to the core.. and he can convince people to vote against their own best interests.

Not to mention he is deep in the pocket of the Kochs.. and he is their man..

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Agreed about Scotty

He has a moderate "appearance (relatively speaking)" but an extremist, hyper-pro-corporate-Koch-driven agenda (and an increasingly extremist anti-choice one as well). Jeb I worry about too though I think (to some degree) people aren't excited about possibly having another Bush. I'm not happy about the people he has surrounding him as foreign policy advisors.

[Peacetrain]

6. Bush is a slick piece of work also.. you are right about that

[DanTex]

9. Yes, I see your point and agree. He seems like a nut, but as you say, he did

manage to win twice in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is definitely not Alabama.

[Peacetrain]

10. Oh my gosh Dan.. he is a slippery little eel

He is so deep in the pockets of the Kochs.. and they work 24/7 to put a halo on that devil. and people buy it..

And it is not that they are stupid but when you are fed the kind of stuff the Kochs and their ilk can afford to put out there and feed people.. it is what happens.

We are up against the machine literally..

[Iliyah]

2. In the end "Jeb Bush"

the Cheney/Rove machine is strong.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. In order of threat

Rubio
Bush lll

None of the rest scare me.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. That's a tough one.

The announced or probable clown car passengers are:

Lindsey Graham
George Pataki
Rick Santorum
Bobby Jindal
Mike Huckabee
Ben Carson
Carly Fiorina
Marco Rubio
Rand Paul
Ted Cruz
Jeb Bush
Chris Christie
Scott Walker
Rick Perry
John Kasich
Donald Trump

Of this motley crew, the pundits seem to think only Rubio, Paul, Cruz, Bush and Walker have a reasonable chance at the nomination. Any of them would be an unspeakably horrible president, but Cruz would probably be the easiest to beat. He comes across as an arrogant asshole (and is said to be, in fact, an arrogant asshole), and even a lot of Republicans don't like him. But anything can happen...

[hrmjustin]

7. Ted cruz would be easily defeated so i hope they nominate him.

[fadedrose]

8. I'm thinking Rand Paul

He's the reason they didn't reauthorize the Patriot Act and is giving McConnell all kinds of headaches. He'd be the hardest to defeat.

Bush may have the money, but it's hard for a lot of R's to get over the Iraq war. I doubt his ratings will soar because of it.

Santorum would be the easiest.

[Robbins]

11. anyone not rand paul

call me crazy if you want but if nominated he has chance to win.

[Agnosticsherbet]

12. Rand Paul because Republicans tend to nominate the candidate they feel most appeals to independents.

Because history does not favor a Democratic win, regardless of who the nominee might be, (Van Buren and Franklin D. Roosevelt being the only two to gain a third term for the party via election (Truman and Johnson won their first terms by the untimely death of Roosevelt and Kennedy) I think this is the Republican's to lose.

I think that Bush may be a victim of Republican "Bush Fatigue," but his ability to raise money in an election where 5 Trillion is likely to be spent by both sides favors him.

And don't sell Jeb short. He is quite at home in that clown car.

Pataki, because he has a pro-choice stand, is probably excluded from the clown car. But that stand will lose him the Religious Right.

Rand Paul is the most to be feared. He has a lot of appeal to independents due to his tendencies towards isolationism, Laissez-faire capitalism, and Libertarian-Right populism. He does not offend the religious right. If he gets the nomination, he will get most Republican votes, because they won't vote for any Democrat.

[Prism]

13. Walker, Paul, and Rubio are the most dangerous

I honestly don't think Bush would make it out of the primaries. Conservatives hate him with a seething passion. With him, it's really a question of whether or not the Establishment can force him down the Tea Party's throat. I doubt it.

Walker has the more formidable political skills and the kind of money and backing that could wage a hard core national campaign.

I say Paul because he is a very solid counterbalance to Clinton's hawkishness (I assume she will be our nominee, though that may change). His anti-surveillance positions resonate, especially with the young. He could make a play for Millenials.

Rubio maybe. I'm squishy on his prospects. He seems moderate on immigration, would siphon some of the Latino vote, etc, but every time I hear him talk I'm not too impressed.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Well, according to the latest poll Hillary leads Paul by 1%. Walker and Rubio by 3%

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/02/politics/hillary-clinton-2016-poll-gop-field-close/