In your opinion, who is the single strongest Republican candidate in the GE?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Huntsman in Rick Perry's body with Chris Christie or Scott Walker's speaking style.

[Cory]

Huntsman.

[Cryptic]

Huntsman, Sandoval, Martinez, or Collins.  Not that any of them will actually run. 

[Mr. Morden]

Huntsman in Rick Perry's body with Chris Christie or Scott Walker's speaking style.

Rick Perry's body?

[Mordecai]

David Petraeus

What?

Other:

David Petraeus

Haha.

...

Not "who is most likely to be nominated by the Party" in 2016, but who would fare best against the Democratic nominee in the general election?

It's more of a testament to the shallow pool of GOP candidates.

[Likely Voter]

Huntsman, Sandoval, Martinez, or Collins.  Not that any of them will actually run. 

more to the point, not that any of them could ever win a GOP nomination.

Of course that is the new GOP dilemma. Can a viable nominee who can appeal to moderates ever win a GOP primary process (while keeping their moderate appeal)?

[HAnnA MArin County]

Generic Republican, since (s)he polls best among Democrats.

LOL @ David Petraeus. After his words about how Hillary would make a good President, he's DOA in the Republican/Tea Party primaries.

Right now, I'd probably say Jeb Bush since he has the (arguably) unique distinction of having the ability to appeal to both the establishment wing and the grassroots/base/Tea Party/crazy wing of the Republican Party. I think his only flaw is his last name, but I think the intense disdain for George W. has eradicated in most voters' minds.

[Mr. Morden]

Right now, I'd probably say Jeb Bush since he has the (arguably) unique distinction of having the ability to appeal to both the establishment wing and the grassroots/base/Tea Party/crazy wing of the Republican Party.

I don't think he actually has that much appeal to the conservative base anymore.  I mean, he obviously checks many more of the ideological boxes than someone like Susan Collins (but the same can be said for the rest of the field as well), but I don't think there's strong gut level appeal there for him from the base, as there might have been 10 years ago.  Ryan or Walker would be a better fit for the description "appeals to both the party establishment and the base".

[Mr. Morden]

And to follow up on my point on Bush, remember this excerpt from the NY Magazine cover story?:

http://nymag.com/news/politics/elections-2012/jeb-bush-2012-10/

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[Flake]

Susan Collins

[Potatoe]

Anyway, I think Walker/ Rubio would be a really good ticket.
But if there has to be a female for VP, than Walker/ Martinez.

A.Rubio is carrying way too much baggage, and is putting his Senate seat at risk, so no on Rubio.

B.Martinez has stated before that she doesn't want to leave New Mexico.

[Potatoe]

Anyway, if the Republicans insist on having a woman on the ticket then Kelly Ayotte would be possible as a running mate, if not a Presidential contender.

Maybe, but again, her botched Sandy reaction is a bit of a drag, as well as the fact that she is getting pretty unpopular, so there's another Senate seat at risk.

[Potatoe]

Susan Collins

Good luck trying to get the Tea Party convinced to support her.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Jeb would be the strongest. Hilary will have to go to her base and win the election and pick a swing state gov like Hickenlooper to defend CO or OH. But, Jeb is rusty and vulnerable to a tea party challenge on his conversion on immigration. Fun race to watch.

[Bureaucat]

The most viable candidates for the general can't get through the primaries without selling their soul to the hard right, which makes them unelectable. It's a classic Catch-22.

[Potatoe]

John Kasich, Susan Collins, Rob Portman, Jon Huntsman, and Brain Sandoval would all make great general election candidates.

Except that everyone but Kasich is either Pro Abortion or Pro Gay Marriage, and the fact that Kasich has anger issues and that he supported Medicare.

Face it, the Tea Party has made everyone in the GOP toxic unless they are in the Tea Party.

[whanztastic]

Sandoval/Ayotte but never gonna happen.

[IceSpear]

Martinez, Sandoval, Huntsman

But of the ones actually likely to run and stand a chance of winning, Walker.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Rand Paul wins by going after Clinton on civil liberties and foreign policy.  The time is ripe for an antiwar candidate.