The "Who is running?" tea leaves thread (Part 2)

[Panda Express]

What are the odds we get Martin O'Malley vs Bob Ehrlich round 3 as the two candidates for president? Of course, this time around the stakes would be so much higher.

[Türkisblau]

Ehrlich? Gilmore? Fiorina? Pataki? TRUMP?

So much irrelevance.

[Mr. Morden]

The Onion has an exclusive story on Jindal's cold feet:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/bobby-jindal-not-sure-he-willing-to-put-family-thr,37864/

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[Mr. Morden]

Perry will "announce something in May or June":

http://kxan.com/2015/01/27/perry-presidential-run-well-announce-something-in-may-or-june/

Only problem is that the judge in his corruption case has just refused to toss the case, so that might delay things a little:

http://kxan.com/2015/01/27/judge-denies-rick-perrys-attempts-to-dismiss-indictment/

[RogueBeaver]

Rubio won the donor straw poll at last weekend's Koch event.

[Joe Biden 2020]

The Onion has an exclusive story on Jindal's cold feet:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/bobby-jindal-not-sure-he-willing-to-put-family-thr,37864/

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I'm curious as to why he said two month?  I know he is being realistic, but I'm surprised he's not any more optimistic than that.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Oh, wait, that's the Onion...  Dadgummit...

[Mr. Morden]

John Bolton says he doesn't "feel any particular time pressure" on making a decision on whether to run for president or not:

http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/28/john-bolton-foreign-policy/22471811/

[RogueBeaver]

Graham sets up an exploratory committee.

[IceSpear]

Graham sets up an exploratory committee.

I can now die happy.

[Mehmentum]

Graham sets up an exploratory committee.

That 'testing the waters' committee didn't last long.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Ugh.

[RogueBeaver]

Jeb hires an Iowan ex-Romneyite.

[RogueBeaver]

Jeb's PAC staffs up in Tallahassee.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Jeb's PAC staffs up in Tallahassee.

Shame that none of my political friends got on board the Bush train.

[Mr. Morden]

Sanders has previously suggested that he won't run if there's someone else out there adequately promoting his issues.  He doesn't seem to think that Clinton will be that person:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/29/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-probably-not-bold-enough-for-2016/

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As noted in that story, Sanders is also set to return to New Hampshire this weekend.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Sanders has previously suggested that he won't run if there's someone else out there adequately promoting his issues.  He doesn't seem to think that Clinton will be that person:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/29/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-probably-not-bold-enough-for-2016/

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As noted in that story, Sanders is also set to return to New Hampshire this weekend.

I'd say that there's a greater than 50% chance that he runs. Maybe even 85-90%. He's been making the rounds to IA and NH and I've been seeing him in the news.

[Likely Voter]

but will Sanders run as a Dem or an Indie. Obviously Hillary is hoping for the former.

[RogueBeaver]

Rubio on a CA fundraising swing.

[The Other Castro]

but will Sanders run as a Dem or an Indie. Obviously Hillary is hoping for the former.

definitely dem, no chance he'd run as an indie

[IceSpear]

but will Sanders run as a Dem or an Indie. Obviously Hillary is hoping for the former.

definitely dem, no chance he'd run as an indie

Yeah, Sanders doesn't share the suicidal tendencies of many of his followers. He knows a Republican presidency would be disastrous for the country.

[RogueBeaver]

Walker emphasizing his faith.

[136or142]

but will Sanders run as a Dem or an Indie. Obviously Hillary is hoping for the former.

definitely dem, no chance he'd run as an indie

Yeah, Sanders doesn't share the suicidal tendencies of many of his followers. He knows a Republican presidency would be disastrous for the country.

As a pathetic regular listener of the ridiculous program Coast to Coast I've heard Jesse Ventura lament a number of times how difficult it is for an independent presidential candidate to get ballot access in many states.  Ventura says he will run for president only if a 'serious grass roots movement gets me on the ballot in all 50 states'.

So, even if Sanders wanted to run as an independent he would have had to have started the leg work on it a long time ago.  I don't know if he knows this or not.

His only real options are to run in the Democratic Primary or run for one of the three small parties with ballot access in all 50 states - the Libertarian Party, the Constitution Party or the Green Party.  Of these, the only one that is a fit for him is obviously the Green Party.  However, before he got elected as an independent to the House he was associated with the Liberty Union Party of Vermont and never with the Green Party (although I'm not sure if the Green Party even existed at that time).

So, I don't know if the Green Party would accept him or if they'd regard him as an interloper.  The Green Party already has a candidate for the party's nomination, Jill Stein, a Massachusetts physician and the party's nominee in 2012 and the Massachusetts Green Party nominee for governor in 2002 and 2010.

[136or142]

Of the 25 potential Republican candidates I list as possibles for running for president, it looks like 4 are out.
1.Mike Pence, Indiana Governor, is pushing for the state to accept matching funds for Obamacare, not something somebody who wants to run for president as a Republican would do (unless they're John Kasich) Also, would be hurt by his bizarre attempt to set up a Pravda in his state.

2.Donald Trump, New York, Probably was never really serious.

3.Pete King, New York, U.S Representative, since announcing he was going to run over one year ago, he's done nothing in this direction since.

4.John Thune, South Dakota, U.S Senator, told Roll Call he plans to run for reelection to the senate.

This leaves
1.Mike Huckabee, Arkansas, former Governor
2.Carly Fiorina, formerly of California
3.Jeb Bush, Florida, former Governor
4.Rick Scott, Florida, Governor
5.Marco Rubio, Florida, U.S Senator
6.Rand Paul, Kentucky, U.S Senator
7.Bobby Jindal, Louisiana, Governor
8.Bob Erhlich, Maryland, former Governor
9.John Bolton, Maryland
10.Ben Carson, Maryland
11.Mitt Romney, Massachusetts, former Governor
12.Rick Snyder, Michigan, Governor
13.George Pataki, New York, former Governor
14.Chris Christie, New Jersey, former Governor
15.John Kasich, Ohio, Governor
16.Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania, former U.S Senator
17.Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, U.S Senator
18.Rick Perry, Texas, former Governor
19.Ted Cruz, Texas, U.S Senator
20.Jim Gilmore, Virginia, former Governor
21.Scott Walker, Wisconsin, Governor

[Miles]

Reportedly, Romney will announce, or at least give an update, this morning whether or not he's running.

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