The "Who is running?" tea leaves thread

[New_Conservative]

Christie believes he is "readier" to become President.

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/chris-christie-2016-presidential-bid-102383.html

[New_Conservative]

This article is over a month old, but Bernie Sanders says he is thinking about running 2016.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20131115/NEWS03/311150043/?nclick_check=1

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But, he also says this

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[New_Conservative]

Even though Elizabeth Warren said she wasn't running a few times, I still believed she was going to run and be a thorn in Hilary's side in the Democratic Primary, but after hearing news that she wrote to the FCC separating herself from the "Ready for Warren" PAC, I believe her now.

[New_Conservative]

Romney sounds like he is going to run after seeing him on Fox News Sunday.

I like Mitt, but I hope he doesn't.

[New_Conservative]

Romney sounds like he is going to run after seeing him on Fox News Sunday.

Ummmm…….

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/romney-my-time-has-come-and-gone-run-president

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I saw that, since that was in the interview, but I don't really buy it. I can't explain why, it's just a hunch.

[New_Conservative]

Sanders could run as Democrat.

http://politi.co/XjiLkF

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[New_Conservative]

Is the general consensus among Democrats and her supporters that there is no way Elizabeth Warren is running? I've read a lot of mixed things. And I don't view her "I'm not running" claims any different than Romney's.

[New_Conservative]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cant-quit-mitt-friends-say-romney-feels-nudge-to-consider-a-2016-presidential-run/2014/10/13/2cb19d12-52ee-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html

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Also:

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*facepalm* This can't be happening.

[New_Conservative]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2014/10/mitt_romney_throws_cold_water_on_16_bid

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[New_Conservative]

Glorious news!

Jeb Bush warming up to possibility of running for President.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/jeb-bush-2016-moving-forward

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[New_Conservative]

Palin says she's hoping to run for office again at some point:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/sarah-palin-run-for-office_n_6063228.html

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Gillibrand says that it's "vital" that a woman is elected president in 2016:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/kirsten-gillibrand-it-s-vital-that-a-woman-becomes-president-in-2016-20141028

(Really?  Even if it's Sarah Palin?)

Palin won't make it through New Hampshire, I don't care if she runs, her campaign will be a failure from the beginning.

[New_Conservative]

National Journal examines the moves of Evangelical leaders to try to coalesce behind one candidate this time....with Cruz and Huckabee deemed the frontrunners to receive such an endorsement:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/ted-cruz-and-mike-huckabee-are-on-a-collision-course-as-evangelicals-audition-2016-contenders-20141025

While Cruz's ambitions have already been made fairly clear, note how they're also more or less treating it as a given that Huckabee will run:

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Disgusting. Cruz is bad enough, but Huckabee getting involved is terrible. The good news about all these Evangelicals running is that hopefully they will all split the hard-right vote, preventing them from competing with the establishment candidate(s).

[New_Conservative]

I'm surprised that there is doubt that Martin O'Malley is running.

[New_Conservative]

Clinton:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/07/us/politics/midterms-for-clinton-aides-arent-all-gloom-.html?_r=1

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Portman:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/11/07/2016-watch-president-portman/

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I'm a huge fan of Portman, but I don't see him getting anywhere.

[New_Conservative]

Rick Perry will be visiting NH this Sunday and Monday:

link

and it begins.

[New_Conservative]

Rubio and Ryan will release a healthcare plan soon.

Awesome news, hopefully this is for real!

[New_Conservative]

"Mike Huckabee rebuilds political team with an eye on another presidential run"

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In the same article, his daughter Sarah is quoted as saying “He is personally engaged and more aggressive in taking on meetings. He can’t wait to get back to South Carolina and Iowa.”

Meanwhile, following on Fox News's termination of Ben Carson's contract because of his running a pseudo-presidential campaign, they're now "evaluating Huckabee's status":

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2014/11/12/huckabee-2016-president-fox-news/

Evaluating his status?  Does that mean that they suspect him of being an illegal immigrant?  No.  Just a stealth presidential candidate who might give them trouble with the FEC:

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Damn it

[New_Conservative]

Carly Fiorina says publicly for the first time that she's thinking about running in 2016:

http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/pause-reflect-ex-hp-ceo-carly-fiorina-mulling-presidential-run-n249621

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As previously noted in this thread, she made various trips to the early primary states in the lead up to the midterms, which raised some eyebrows, but I think this is her first admission that a presidential run is something she's thinking about.

Demon Sheep 2016! 

I like her, but her lack of political experience will probably lead to her demise. She doesn't have the same grassroots support as someone like Ben Carson, so I think her campaign would be pretty irrelevant.

[New_Conservative]

She doesn't have the same grassroots support as someone like Ben Carson, so I think her campaign would be pretty irrelevant.

It's only November 2014, and hardly anyone knows who she is yet.  The question isn't how much grassroots support she has now, but how much we think she'll have one year from now, should she run.

If she were to run, the fact that she'd be the only woman in the field (in a race that would likely be for the right to face off against another woman in the general election) would surely be enough to generate a good deal of media attention.  But yeah, is she a good enough politician to capitalize on that media attention?  Probably not.  But honestly, who knows?

One question: How big is her fortune?  Would she self-fund if she runs?

She will probably have to self-fund for her campaign. I don't see a lot of donors, except for maybe Silicone Valley, just because of her ties with the industry. But Silicone Valley seems to be backing Rand Paul. (http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/why-is-rand-paul-opening-an-office-in-silicon-valley-20140923)

She is worth up to $120 million, so she has plenty of cash to fund her campaign, I don't know if she will be willing to though.

[New_Conservative]

OK, I just looked it up.  According to this:

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/ceos/carly-fiorina-net-worth/

her net worth is $80 million.  So not really enough to fund a serious nationwide presidential primary campaign unless she wants to bankrupt herself.  I doubt she's eager to blow half her fortune on a longshot presidential campaign.  So if she runs, she could kick in a little money for her campaign, but the majority of the $ would presumably come from fundraising.

Romney's net worth is $250 million, and he still raised the majority of his campaign $ for both primary campaigns the old fashioned way.

Thanks, I got the $120 million number from a different website.

[New_Conservative]

Long Politico article on all Pub candidates. Rand's 95% in, will probably announce in April. Perry and Cruz are in, though doubts they'll get far. Rubio will announce after his book tour in January. Ryan's all but out, figuring he's young enough to wait.

It actually says Cruz has agood chance in the primaries but not the general.

Also, I now see it's not really a ranking.

He really doesn't though. He will probably see a lot of success early on, but I don't see him being more than flavor of the month. I agree with the article, he'll find success in Iowa but "will burn fast".

[New_Conservative]

Walker's family is enthusiastic about him running.

Glorious news!

[New_Conservative]

Something tells me Ben Carson's foreign policy knowledge is going to be similarly disastrous (but not quite as bad) as Sarah Palin.