2016 Presidential Candiates Predictions

[flea]

While I confess I'm not aware of every detail of Rubio's life or background I'm not entirely sure why you would say that.

Unelectable? I'm not sure where this comes from. I googled his approval rating and the most recent favorable rating was 52/32 in Florida after the convention.

Corrupt? I confess I don't know what this is in reference to.

No record to run on? He's was a state senator for 10 years and has been a US Senator for two. By 2016 that would be 6 years. Obama was a state senator for 7 and US Senator for 3 years when elected. So if "no record to run on" is in reference to a lack of experience, there were many who thought the same about Obama (myself included).

Again, I'm not a Rubio biographer, but I like what I've seen. He's a strong fiscal conservative and is very good at arguing for its cause. In the few interviews I've seen with him (daily show and a few others) he has handled himself well and doesn't back away from questions. That is his biggest strength, IMO. As for him being Hispanic, obviously, that is something that the GOP could use (sad to think of it like that, but true). But I don't think talk of him as a rising star in the party is solely based on that. He's one of the few younger, more exciting people within the GOP. Obviously, all of this 2016 stuff is conjecture by all of us and who knows how the next 4 years will play out for the country as well as any of the candidates mentioned in this thread. But I certainly understand why many (myself included) consider him someone to watch.

Edit: We had a thread a while back about Rubio Stewart "debate". In case anyone wants to check it out. It has the links to his apperance.
http://forums.prosportsdaily.com/sho...d.php?t=734417

He's been caught using party money more than once (if I recall correctly), he's been caught by the FEC for taking improper campaign donations, and he's had some, shall we say, very warm relationships with lobbyists. That's the kind of stuff that kills campaigns - especially when he doesn't have a record to run on.

Obama was the exception to the rule as far as not having much of a record. Every once in a while you'll get somebody who jumps ahead in the party and it's possible that the GOP's current state would make that possible for Rubio but I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

Additionally, his ethnicity will be no boon for his appeal to Latino voters. Outside of the large Cuban population in south Florida his race doesn't really do much for him. Most Latinos hate Cubans, and they certainly don't consider them to be the same race as them. Cubans are more closely aligned with whites than they are with any other Latino race. It's funny (in a very misguided way) that the GOP think they can just trot out a Latino name in an empty suit and immediately get back some of that 75% that they lost.

There's just not much of a benefit and a whole lot of downside.

[GA16Angels]

He's not similar to Romney in any way as far as I can tell other than they are both Mormon Republicans.

He's not similar to Romney, but the GOP didn't get dealt a big enough blow to go as close to the center as Huntsman is. As a liberal, I'd love to see Huntsman get some more serious attention, but he's still an outlier in that party. I think he's ahead of his party's time in regards to many social issues and he doesn't hate science, so that's awesome!

He's just a reasonable guy...and there's little room for that in politics these days.

I was speaking in terms of how the GOP views him. They labeled both him and Romney as moderates and Huntsman received very few votes because he wasn't the "anti-Romney" candidate. Also, I doubt the Republicans are ready to move back to the center given that when Huntsman said the he was pro-choice and that he supported gay rights in the debates, he was booed by the audience. Still I would love to see him run again for either party or even as a third party candidate.

This is random, but does anyone remember when Ron Paul was booed in a debate for saying that 9/11 happened because we had our military occupying parts of Afghanistan. That's a perfect example of how mainstream conservatives ignore factual evidence and many don't vote with their brains (ie why Rick Santorum got so many votes).

[AsfanSince99]

I know its early but whatever. You have to give your nomination for the Democratic Nominee and Republican Nominee. You can only give one nominee for each party and can't be stuck between two.

My Predictions
Julian Castro(D)
vs
Marco Rubio(R)

I believe the Republicans will come out with a younger guy who can relate to a demographic they consistently lose in a landside, the democrats will do the same because it will be very hard to beat that.

Isn't that like saying that blacks will vote for a black candidate and women will vote for a woman candidate? Because I can assure you blacks won't flock to the polls to vote for Jessie Jackson and women won't for Sarah Palin.

Latinos won't vote Rubio just because he's Latino. They will only vote for him if his policies reflect their values.

My predictions:

Hilary Clinton, VP- Chris Rock (D)
v.
Chris Christie, VP- Marco Rubio (R)

[hoosiercubsfan]

It Mitch runs it will be a blood bath. GOP would be slaughtered again.

As a major Mitch Daniels fan I have to ask why you think this? A successful two term governor or Indiana who will have spent the last 4 years as President of Purdue University. Granted I don't think he will run but curious to your thoughts backing up your position.

[Celtic AL]

Jon Huntsman? not a fan of his views

[homie564]

being from Mass, I personally think Devol Patrick is the biggest idiot in history, so honestly, if he goes anywhere near presidency, I will probably vote Republican for the first time ever lol... unless he ran against Jeb Bush.. in which case I'm moving to Qatar.

If Hilary wants it, Hilary will be the next president I think.

[Gandalf]

Republicans: President: Marco Rubio Vice President: Condolezza rice
Democrats: President: Hillary Clinton Vice President: Martin O’Malley

[Redskins10]

D- Tim Kaine

R- Marco Rubio

[Patsfan56]

What I'd like to see:

D- Biden
R- Huntsman

What will likely happen:

D- Hilary
R- Some social conservative douche, with Hilary pimp slapping the gag ball right out of his repressive mouth for an easy win, and four more years of the same bull ****. - My guess is we won't see the guy coming until 2014

[dbroncos78087]

What I'd like to see:

D- Biden
R- Huntsman

What will likely happen:

D- Hilary
R- Some social conservative douche, with Hilary pimp slapping the gag ball right out of his repressive mouth for an easy win, and four more years of the same bull ****. - My guess is we won't see the guy coming until 2014

I can't see Biden running for president. I would like to see Huntsman getting run for president and getting through the primary.

I truly hope that the GOP casts away the social conservatism but my hope isn't very high on that one. Its people who vote in the GOP primaries who will have a voice in that matter. I didn't vote in the GOP primary in 2010-2012 but I will do so if the website that I found is true and Virginia has an open primary next time around.

http://grassrootsidgop.wordpress.com...sed-primaries/

I won't be voting for the guy most likely to lose but the one that I think is the best and I hope everyone who can vote in their primaries will do the same.

[neovenator250]

As long as Bobby Jindal isn't running. He's a complete idiot and sellout. Guy graduated as a Biology major from Columbia yet he signed the bill in Louisiana allowing creationism to be taught in schools. Continuously cutting funds for Universities then complaining that science isn't taught well enough in the state.

[ManRam]

I didn't realize how low Rubio's favorability rating was.

From the CSM article on Newt Gingrich saying Hil-dog is unbeatable.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Deco...linton-in-2016

True, she’s currently more popular than every other candidate considering a run. Clinton holds a 60 percent favorability rating – higher than former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (39 percent), Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida (33 percent), Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin (47 percent) and Vice President Joe Biden (46 percent), according to a new George Washington University/Politico Battleground poll.

I've also always gotten the impression that most people on the left are indifferent towards Biden, and that he's quite polarizing. Maybe that impression I got is wrong, but I really feel he'd be a weak candidate.


As for Hunstman, he's certainly got a better shot at 2016 than he did in 2012, but I still don't think a guy like him can get through the GOP primaries.

[IndyFan]

I am a big Hillary Clinton fan. But it is still amazing how united the Democratic Party is on her candidacy. It seems that every Democrat that isn't planning on running themselves wants her to run. I don't think I've ever seen the Democrats agree on anything that much. Add to that she seems to be a 'gal that's got skillz'.

The GOP has some good young candidates. Looking forward to the primary to see who can really play at the NBA level. If they do that, they should have a good candidate to run. The worst thing they can to is have the party elders pick a guy like Rubio or Ryan without letting him prove he can play first.