Top 2 Issues For GOP Primary Fight?

[Likely Voter]

So one year from now the GOP primary season will be in full swing with debates and everything. So what will the candidates be arguing about most?

In 2012 the top 2 issues were probably Immigration and Taxes. Mitt Romney likely won by running to the right of the other candidates and taking a hard line on immigration. And while you would think that GOPers could all agree that tax cuts are a good thing, many of the 2012 debates focused on various tax plans, especially after Herman Cain and his 999 thing got popular.

So where will be the big disagreements for 2016?

[Rockefeller GOP]

Honestly, I'd say the exact same things as 2012 ... Maybe a foreign policy debate, as well.

[Deus Naturae]

I'll go with foreign policy and taxes/budget. With the possible exception of immigration (which will probably be rendered less significant by executive action on the part of Obama between now and 2016), the former that's the only area where the candidates will have a fundamental disagreement on the basic issue, and there may be some candidates running for the sole purpose of promoting their foreign policy views.

As for the latter, I think there is a good chance we will see something 2012 arguments you referenced about the specifics of each candidate's tax/spending plans. Ryan and Paul have both come up with their own budgets, Santorum will probably run on his pro-manufacturing plan from 2012, and Jindal is apparently kind of a wonkish type.

[Lief 🗽]

Immigration (amnesty) and education (common core) are the only things Republican primary voters care about.

[politicus]

Immigration and taxes/budget.

[IceSpear]

1) Whoever is best at bashing Obama
2) Whoever is best at bashing Hillary

[Likely Voter]

I think that Foreign Policy - notably ISIS/Iraq/Syria and Russia/Ukraine - is going to be big issue of debate and are for most disagreement. It will be interesting to see if there will be a 'hawk off' for the race to who can be most aggressive. Eventually one of them will call for combat troops in Iraq and Syria.

I think the second big issue will be Immigration, with the same dynamic as 2008. This issue really fires up the base and there is disagreement (or at least differences in the records) between the candidates


If Jeb Bush runs and becomes the or a front-runner, then education (and Common Core) will be a huge issue. Christie could also be tied to it, but not as much. I believe Jindal, Perry, Pence and Walker have all rejected Common Core, so if it is between them, then at best it would be a 'who hated it most first' type of thing.