Design the Republican candidate who would be Hillary's worst nightmare

[Blue3]

Pretend we aren't limited to the current list of possible Republican candidates. Imagine you could design Hillary's Republican opponent from scratch. What kind of candidate would Hillary do worse against, yet would still be able to win the GOP primaries against the established field? The only rule is you can't change history, except with your candidate's presence in it.




My first guess:

Vanessa Garcia was only 27 but already a self-made billionaire when Ronald Reagan chose her as the U.S. ambassador to Israel in 1987, where she served for the remainder of Reagan's term. Her parents were the children of Mexican immigrants, and she grew up in a poor neighborhood of Houston, Texas before building her American dream. She started as a model and fashion-designer, and then started her own fashion business that became high successful as she worked her way through college, and was a chief fundraiser in Reagan's re-election. Despite being a proud Texan, she relocated to Florida after Bush I was elected, and was elected to a single term in the Senate in 1992, but became so disgusted with Washington politics that she chose not to run again and relocated to California, where she served as a CEO in a successful Silicon Valley business. In 2006, despite it being a very Democratic year, she bucked the trend and was elected as California's governor in a triumphant return to politics, and her re-election in 2010 was no contest and she remains highly popular with California having a balanced budget and low unemployment. Garcia's second term will end when her successor is sworn in at the beginning of 2015, freeing up her time in a potential run for President. Vanessa Garcia will be 56 years old in 2016.

She is pro-life, pro-Israel, personally supports traditional marriage but accepts the legalization of same-sex marriage, a supporter of ENDA, a supporter of moderate immigration reform but thought Rubio's bill was flawed, a fluent speaker of Spanish, a proud gun owner and hunter in her personal time, believes in states' rights on marijuana, against the surveillance state and wants more transparency on national security matters, a supporter of total troop withdrawal from Afghanistan but keeping an close eye on it, tough on and wants a harder line against Russia/China/Syria/NKorea but doesn't want more wars, a supporter of "common sense" tax and entitlement reform that still preserves Social Security and Medicare for our seniors and eliminates tax loopholes for corporations and the rich, a supporter of business-friendly and moderate investments in infrastructure, in opposition to the individual mandate but is willing to work with the Democrats to moderately reform ObamaCare instead of outright repeal it, a supporter of a living wage that automatically adjusts to inflation, a strong advocate for greater oversight and prosecution of the financial industry which she personally despises (preferring industries that grow the economy by actually making or servicing things in demand, like the companies she has run, not manipulating money), and a reformer who wants to fix Washington DC politics.

[Bull Moose Base]

Before she can beat Arnold Schwarznegger in a primary, he travels back in time to the year 1987 and impregnates her. The timing of the pregnancy makes Garcia unable to fly and she turns down Reagan's appointment, nipping her political career in the bud, but that was just good luck; Schwarznegger only did it because he can't resist Mexican women in their prime.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

The world already did, but we'll never nominate him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sandoval

[Maxwell]

The world already did, but we'll never nominate him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sandoval

They probably will in 2020 if Hillary is elected. I mean, it took Democrats three times (80, 84, 88) before they got their act together, right?

[badgate]

Barack Obama (R-IL)

[MurrayBannerman]

The world already did, but we'll never nominate him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sandoval

I love Sandoval. He'd be a fantastic president.

[NewYorkExpress]

Barack Obama (R-IL)

If this was Facebook I'd Like that... As it stands, it's a brilliant yet cheeky answer.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Barack Obama (R-IL)

If this was Facebook I'd Like that... As it stands, it's a brilliant yet cheeky answer.

Yeah, I have to agree. Take Barack Obama and copy and paste a combination of Scott Walker's, Jeb Bush's, and Jon Huntsman's political positions (basically, a pragmatic mainline movement conservative not dissimilar to Newt Gingrich minus the baggage) and combine them and you got a strong candidate.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

An old school liberal Republican like Jacob Javits, who would run well to Hillary's left.

[NHI]

The world already did, but we'll never nominate him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sandoval

They probably will in 2020 if Hillary is elected. I mean, it took Democrats three times (80, 84, 88) before they got their act together, right?

Absolutely! I agree, if Hillary wins in '16 the party will have to get its act together. I've always equated The Obama-Era for Republicans to be like the Reagan Era for Democrats...

[daveosupremo]

A 6'4" attractive black man. Retired 2 star general or above turned successful governor of a purple state with a record of reform. Evangelical but not overly so. Libertarian leaning domestic policy, but pro life. Hardliner on Iran and Israel, but relatively non interventionist otherwise. Run on a platform of reforming all aspects of the federal government to make it leaner and more efficient.

[Mister Mets]

Susanna Martinez comes close. She's a popular swing state Governor from a region where Hillary is weak, and she would represent a bigger milestone. She'd be slightly stronger if she had kids, and took stands on civil liberties similar to Rand Paul.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Susanna Martinez comes close. She's a popular swing state Governor from a region where Hillary is weak, and she would represent a bigger milestone. She'd be slightly stronger if she had kids, and took stands on civil liberties similar to Rand Paul.

I'm not sure a woman is actually the best answer to Hillary. Hillary's had so much time to build her brand among female voters, and there's still the bad memories of Sarah Palin that might make some women voters leery of a Republican woman candidate.

I think the best way to counter Hillary is with a male candidate, likely a minority, who can energize male voters while not giving the Dems any way to play the war on women card that will help Hillary. Essentially, you can't beat Hillary at her own game. You have to find a way around it.

[BaconBacon96]

I'd consider voting for Brian Sandoval.

[tarheel-leftist85]

You know, bro, pro-Pot, pro-SSM, pro-using-identity-politics-every-chance while:
- pro-bankster: absolution of their continued criminality (foreclosure frauds like robosigning and document forgery)
- pro-Social Security privatization: exchanges for people's retirements with mandatory patronage to bros at Goldman Sachs
- pro-"peaceful" drone use: drone Afghani funerals and wedding parties and American citizens but have an internation multiculture tolerance parade to demonstrate open-mindedness and correct pronunciation of Pahk-kee-stahhn.

In other words, moderate(TM), progressive(TM), liberal(TM).

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

You know, bro, pro-Pot, pro-SSM, pro-using-identity-politics-every-chance while:
- pro-bankster: absolution of their continued criminality (foreclosure frauds like robosigning and document forgery)
- pro-Social Security privatization: exchanges for people's retirements with mandatory patronage to bros at Goldman Sachs
- pro-"peaceful" drone use: drone Afghani funerals and wedding parties and American citizens but have an internation multiculture tolerance parade to demonstrate open-mindedness and correct pronunciation of Pahk-kee-stahhn.

In other words, moderate(TM), progressive(TM), liberal(TM).

Get new material, please.

[Maxwell]

You know, bro, pro-Pot, pro-SSM, pro-using-identity-politics-every-chance while:
- pro-bankster: absolution of their continued criminality (foreclosure frauds like robosigning and document forgery)
- pro-Social Security privatization: exchanges for people's retirements with mandatory patronage to bros at Goldman Sachs
- pro-"peaceful" drone use: drone Afghani funerals and wedding parties and American citizens but have an internation multiculture tolerance parade to demonstrate open-mindedness and correct pronunciation of Pahk-kee-stahhn.

In other words, moderate(TM), progressive(TM), liberal(TM).

Get new material, please.

Quit being such a "peaceful" bankster

[pbrower2a]

Barack Obama (R-IL)

That is what he would have become had he been a racket-busting prosecutor in Chicagoland. The Chicago machine wanted him out of Chicago, likely keeping him from becoming the new Thomas E. Dewey.

[GaussLaw]

Simple. 

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), but turn him into a female, give him the union-busting/economic accomplishments of Scott Walker, the popularity of Ryan Sandoval, the savvy of Jeb Bush, the libertarianism of Rand Paul, and some of the sensibilities of Jon Huntsman. 

Unbeatable.

[Bull Moose Base]

Simple. 

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), but turn him into a female, give him the union-busting/economic accomplishments of Scott Walker, the popularity of Ryan Sandoval, the savvy of Jeb Bush, the libertarianism of Rand Paul, and some of the sensibilities of Jon Huntsman. 

Unbeatable.

On one hand, you made an error because you were thinking of Brian Sandoval. On the other hand, you're accidentally correct because this fictional person would more realistically end up as popular as some unknown person named Ryan Sandoval, assuming they're as conservative as Tim Scott. Or when you say turn Tim Scott into a female, did you just mean, a black woman? Or you just feel Tim Scott is a woman born in a man's body and you want everything to be right in the world?

[Simfan34]

David James Anderson, Jr. (born May 7, 1956) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania, from January 2003 until January 2011. With a net worth of $43.5 billion, he is the 3rd-richest person in the United States, and president and former CEO of RCA.

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania to the owner of a department store and a daughter of the Marquess of Wexford, Anderson attended Yale University, where he was Phi Beta Kappa and earned a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford, later going on to attend the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School. From 1979 to 1989, and then from 1990 to 1991, he served in the United States Navy as one of its most decorated officers, coming to national attention in 1981 due to an incident on the USS Nimitz in which he saved a number of lives. In 1985 he married Lauren Stroud. Anderson served as Chief of Staff to Senator John Heinz from 1989 until the latter's death in 1991.In 1991 he joined Westinghouse as an executive. When the corporation split in 1997, Anderson, who had been expected to become CEO of the new Westinghouse, was dismissed.He would later found the Altes Electronic Group, which in 1999 was renamed RCA after its acquisition of the latter

On May 7, 1956, David James Anderson, Jr. was born to David J. Anderson, Sr. and Julia Anderson at at the Mercy Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania. David J. Anderson Sr., (b. 1929) was at the time the manager at the Globe Department Store in downtown Scranton. He was born to Harold Anderson (formerly Harald Andersson), a the son of a Norwegian immigrant, and Elizabeth Anderson (nee Whitfield), whose family had lived in the area since the early 1800's. In 1962 Anderson would come into the ownership of the company. Julia Anderson (nee Houghton-Turnbull) (born 1932) . The youngest of six children, her father was Geoffrey Houghton-Turnbull, 5th Marquess of Wexford, members of the Protestant Ascendancy who came to the US in 1922. Once wealthy and owning a country manor and a Wexford townhouse, they came almost destitute, most of their possessions either having been repossessed or stolen.

The young Anderson was characterized by family friends and acquaintances as "extremely gifted" and "very intelligent". The young boy attends the George Bancroft Elementary and West Scranton Intermediate Schools, having started kindergarten a year early. He was sent to Lawrenceville School for high school; at the school, Anderson excels, with one former teacher remarking that he "could probably correct Virgil on his grammar". Anderson develops something of a reputation as a polyglot, being fluent in Latin, French, and Ancient Greek. He graduated as valedictorian and was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Princeton University, and Yale University, and while he had been expected to attend Princeton he ultimately chose to attend Yale.

Rather portentously, he observes that Yale is the stuff "future leaders are made out of". Anderson, again, manages to excel at Yale, eventually to the point that he graduates a year early. Taking up residence at Branford College, Anderson finds his niche at the Yale Political Union, eventually rising to become one of the Party Chairmans. Before graduating, he is eulogized by the YPU President for "leaving too soon". But he, in his own words, is "moving up"... Anderson also takes the time to join the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. Contrary to popular belief, Anderson was not a member of the Skull and Bones secret society.

Anderson is accepted as an Rhodes Scholar, and studies at Christ Church College for two years, eventually receiving an D.Phil in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics for his troubles. His reputation precedes him, and when he joins the Oxford Conservative Association he is welcomed with a standing ovation. He participates in the Oxford and Cambridge Regatta in 1978 and 1979, which Oxford both won. A bit less prestigious, Anderson develops a bit of a reputation as a ladies man. Benazir Bhutto, a contemporary, would describe him as a "serial philanderer".

In 1979, Anderson enters active duty in the navy, as an Ensign. He quickly makes a good impression on his superiors, and is assigned to a senior role usually reserved for higher officers on the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Unfortunately for him, he winds up at sea on that ship for 152 days, notably commenting that a grand total of two beers had been consumed for that period. His affable demeanor and keen sense of observation lead to him becoming a rather popular person in the dull environment at sea. He, in a rather cliched manner, is able to return to Scranton on Christmas Day 1980. Surprisingly, he speaks glowingly of his service.

The next year, Anderson is posted to the USS Nimitz, where he continued to serve honorably, if not unremarkable. Unremarkably, that is, until May 26, when an Prowler crashed on to the flight deck. Anderson, completely disregarding any concept of personal safety, rushes to raise a barrier in order to shelter those on the deck from the blast. Anderson's actions manage to save a number of lives- five died in the incident, while over fifty were injured- but much of Anderson's left leg is blown away in the blast. He is rushed to to a military hospital in Sicily, and while his leg is saved, his foot is not- Anderson will be forced to use a prosthetic for the rest of his life, a fact that was known by few.

His gallantry, however, does not go unnoticed. For his extreme bravery, Anderson is awarded the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star. An investigation into the crash reveals that the pilot and many others on the ship were under the influence of marijuana at the time, and the ensuing furor brings David Anderson to center stage. Anderson is called to testify to a to the House Armed Services Committee, and while he is not accused of any wrongdoing, he revives a grilling from Charles Price, the chair. The harsh interrogation is widely considered unjustified and contributed to Price not running for re-election in 1982.

Anderson is able to return to the Navy in 1982, now having been promoted to Junior Lieutenant at the end of the previous year. He is assigned to the USS Callaghan, where he serves on the staff. This goes without incident. In late 1983, Anderson is once again promoted to Lieutenant, and is made the executive officer of the USS Coontz. Here, he is able to participate in the invasion of Grenada, where the Coontz is part of the Independence Task Group. He once again earns a name for himself, and is awarded the Navy Cross.

As it was for almost any Oxonian, attending the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race was an annual tradition. It was fate, however, that Professor Paul Klemperer felt it prudent to introduce Lauren Stroud “to an old student”.

Regardless of the historical significance of the attraction the two felt for one another, David Anderson had proposed by the day after Lauren Stroud had graduated. The Andersons were beside themselves, particularly the Houghton-Turnbulls, who were elated to see one of their own marry into “esteemed” blood. The Strouds, on the other hand, had their initial misgivings, but were soon reconciled, and not shortly after pleased, with their daughter’s choice of a husband, and were comforted by his prestigious scholarly and military record.

The couple was married in the spring of the next year, in Christ Church Cathedral, by Richard Harries, who not long after became Bishop of Oxford. The reception was not far away, in the Hall of Christ Church College (one may see pictures of the event in the Anderson Foundation Archives). They spent their honeymoon in the Gheralta in Ethiopia’s Tigray Province, a decision that frightened many of their relatives- the civil war there had ended not a half-year before. Lauren gave birth to twins in the May of 1986, David III and Rebecca.

Anderson returned to the Navy not shortly after his wedding, and continued to serve with distinction, being promoted to Commander in 1989. Increasingly, close friends say, Anderson felt a sense of boredom with the Navy- there were no wars, the Cold War was ending, and the 600-ship Navy was quickly becoming a fiction. Anderson quickly decided to leave the Navy, despite the appeals of those same friends, who assured Anderson “he could become an admiral”, including William McRaven, who himself became an admiral. Regardless, on June 6, 1989, David Anderson was honorably discharged from the United States Navy.

Now, the 33-year old David Anderson wondered what to do with himself. Sources close to him say he seriously contemplated running for Congress, but neither seat in Lackawanna County looked particularly competitive- the 10th district was held by a man who had held that seat since the 1960s, and the 11th district by one who had won in 1988 with a 41 percent majority. Nor did the thought of moving to another part of the state to run in an open district appeal to him much. Anderson spent the summer as a staffer for senator H. John Heinz III. He would spend the next two years there as his Chief of Staff.

[Simfan34]

“The years with Heinz in Washington were very formative for David,” said close friend and associate ----. “It was there that the ideas such as fostering economic competitiveness, rebuilding the industrial base, spurring innovation, things we closely associate with his policies today, became close to him. I was in Washington once, and he paid me a visit, and even then all he was talking about was the importance of shipbuilding,” recalls Zakaria with a chuckle.

Anderson was called from the reserves to serve in the Persian Gulf War in December 1990, and served commendably. He was again discharged in March 1991.

Heinz and Anderson became very close, and Heinz often suggested to Anderson that he seek higher office. Another good friend, Jon Huntsman Jr., then Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce, now Governor of Utah, remembers that he “went to the Senate chamber once and there was David waiting at the door for him. Heinz, that is. David and the senator seemed virtually inseparable.” Inseparable, of course, until the morning of April 4, 1991. Heinz had asked Anderson to stay behind on a trip to Pennsylvania in order to receive none other than Huntsman. Huntsman and Anderson were having coffee in the Senator’s office when the call came in- Heinz had been killed in a mid-air collision between his plane and a helicopter sent to do repairs.

“I can almost certainly tell you I know what it is like to be hit by lightening,” Anderson said in a later interview. “It’s the greatest shock I’ve ever felt.” Anderson mourned the senator, but he soon realized something else- he was out of a job. This time, he did not desire to seek public office, although some in the Pennsylvania Republican Party wanted him to run for the Senate vacancy. Anderson took an upper-level executive position at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh.

Westinghouse, at the time, was something of a basketcase. The company had spend the past decade selling off industrial assets and was focusing on building its entertainment division. Anderson despised this. He set about trying to make its consumer electronics unit profitable, which recorded profits by 1994. Anderson continued to take a leading role in the company, far beyond that of his official rank. In the same year, Westinghouse partnered with a start-up company, Plasmaco, to develop plasma flat screen televisions. To much fanfare, Westinghouse introduced the first Plasma television in 1997. Westinghouse’s electronic and manufacturing wings had experienced all but a full turn-around, and Anderson, now COO of the company’s Industries and Technology Group, openly plotted to re-aquire assets and divisions sold off in the 1980s. The board, however, had other plans.

Later in 1997, Westinghouse announced that the company would split into two- CBS Corporation, which Westinghouse had acquired in 1995, and a continuation of the Westinghouse Electric Company. The split was to occur on December 1, 1997. On November 27, 1997, David Anderson was dismissed from Westinghouse. Anderson, who had been widely expected to head the new Westinghouse, was no longer in charge, and could not be, due to a clause in his contract. The move was completely unexpected: “Old Westinghouse’s unwelcome surprise for New Westinghouse” was the headline in the New York Times’ Business Day section. Observers were utterly perplexed, not at least David Anderson. Bad blood between CBS and Anderson persists to this day.

Anderson again decided to move on. This time, however, he would forge his own path. He, and partners founded the Altes Electronics Group. The corporation, not soon after, buys the Emerson Radio Corporation of New Jersey. In 1998, it would launch the popular Jet MP3 Player, which was the first digital media player to achieve widespread success (75 million units have been sold as of 2010). In 1999, Altes made headlines by acquiring Thomson SA, which was being privatized by the French government. At that point, Altes took on the name of RCA, which had been the property of Thomson. In 2000, after the company lost vast sums of money in the dot-com boom, RCA acquired the non-defense segments of the British GEC, while British Aerospace took the defense segments and became BAE.

As governor, Anderson introduced school voucher programs, lowered taxes, and attracted businesses and manufacturing to the state. He oversaw the construction of a Philadelphia-Pittsburgh high speed rail line. He instituted right-to-work laws. He also rejected calls to run in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, instead opting to become President of Yale University in June 2011.

[Simfan34]

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=137909.25

[GaussLaw]

Simple. 

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), but turn him into a female, give him the union-busting/economic accomplishments of Scott Walker, the popularity of Ryan Sandoval, the savvy of Jeb Bush, the libertarianism of Rand Paul, and some of the sensibilities of Jon Huntsman. 

Unbeatable.

On one hand, you made an error because you were thinking of Brian Sandoval. On the other hand, you're accidentally correct because this fictional person would more realistically end up as popular as some unknown person named Ryan Sandoval, assuming they're as conservative as Tim Scott. Or when you say turn Tim Scott into a female, did you just mean, a black woman? Or you just feel Tim Scott is a woman born in a man's body and you want everything to be right in the world?

Let me clarify, I mean a female version of Tim Scott.  I do not think Tim Scott is secretly a female. 

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

There is no possible GOP candidate that would be a "worst nightmare" for Hillary.  Anyone new is likely too inexperienced to beat her.  Anyone who has the goods on her probably has baggage themselves.  Hillary can be beaten, but the likelihood of her losing by anything other than self-implosion is small.  There is not a single GOP candidate I can think of that would make her think she's significantly vulnerable, and not a single GOP candidate that would scare away any of her donors.