Should anyone GOPer in the current "group" scare the Democrats?

[sg0508]

I understand that at this point in the game, the odds of getting an outsider and a young, fresh face in there isn't likely.  Those usually enter the race a year before and thus, you have the "establishment" being talked about at this point, similar to Hillary Clinton on the Democrats' side.

That being said, I just look at some of these candidates from the Republican side (as of now) and just roll my eyes, and I'm the type of voter that for the right candidate, will still vote Republican.  All I can think to myself is, how in the heck will any of these people, many who either have a bad last name (i.e. Bush) or who already have bad raps (i.e. Palin, possibly Cruz) going to appeal to:

1) Moderate voters
2) Young voters
3) Minorities

We know, this was the key to Romney's defeat in '12.  In addition, already the line of "wasn't conservative enough", the broken-record used by the GOP after every failed election is being thrown around and it's very old.

[spacecoyote]

Bush - Maybe will see how he runs...
Christie - Maybe will see how he runs...
Huckabee - No.
Paul - Maybe..appeal on things like NSA spying...tendency to shoot from the hip and scare the "normals".
Carson - No.
Walker - Apparently it is possible to be more boring than Tim Pawlenty. Looks good on paper but I think he's lucky to finish 3rd in Iowa.
Perry - Maybe...he seems to have improved in recent interviews.
Cruz - No. I think he could be the nominee though if he breaks through in the debates.
Santorum - No.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Kasich. Bush. Possibly Christie.

[Del Tachi]

Bush is the strongest candidate and appeals to moderates and Hispanics very well. 

[Suburbia]

Walker, Pence, Kasich, Bush, Huckabee (the charm appeal on TV in debates)

[sg0508]

And keep in mind, before we all say, "watch the economy and that's usually how the race ends up", that seemed to go somewhat out the door in '12 where the economy was still on pretty shaky ground and yet the incumbents won by a relatively safe margin.

[Cory]

Kasich. Bush. Possibly Christie.

[IceSpear]

Kasich scares me the most. I see Walker as very strong. Paul is a wildcard. The rest I'm not worried about.

[Gass3268]

None of them really. If I had to pick one it'd be Walker.

[Maxwell]

Walker, maybe Paul (He's the joker of the Republican deck), maaaaybe Kasich (though he's a bit too mouthy, prone to say something offensive), and Portman if he somehow managed the Herculean feat of winning the nomination.

The rest are not going to cut it. Christie has too much baggage, and that's just what we already have. Perry is a loose cannon and not very bright. Huckabee is way too mouthy, and what was original a kinder, gentler, yet populist approach to conservatism has turned into shouting at Beyonce about family values. Carson is as dumb in politics as he is brilliant at neurosurgery. Bush is Huntsman with the dreadful Bush name dragging him down, because he has a conservative record but also has a record of advertising it poorly. Cruz is an adept debater but he's a loose cannon and he's smug and offputting, even to people who are normally in the GOP base. Santorum is like a weaker Huckabee who seems hateful. And other people aren't even worth mentioning (including 8ball Mitt, who despite his denial, is still thinking about it because he has time to).

[Reaganfan]

I think Christie is the most electable. In fact, in a Hillary vs. Republican race, Christie gives me a sense of electable security.

[IceSpear]

I think Christie is the most electable. In fact, in a Hillary vs. Republican race, Christie gives me a sense of electable security.

#stuffpeoplesaidin2013

[PresidentTRUMP]

Kasich, Rubio and bush

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

I think Christie is the most electable. In fact, in a Hillary vs. Republican race, Christie gives me a sense of electable security.

Electable security? Christie is the only one that makes CO lean D instead of toss up. Even Huckabee polls better there.

[Mr. Illini]

Walker brings worry to me right now. Bush a little bit. No one else really.

[spacecoyote]

Kasich scares me the most. I see Walker as very strong. Paul is a wildcard. The rest I'm not worried about.

I think Kasich would be the strongest opponent. Doesn't seem to be running though and even if he did could he get the nomination?

I agree about Paul being the wildcard. Christie is a wildcard too if he can regain what he had before the scandals. However, wildcard cuts both ways...they could loose in a blowout.

Maybe I'm totally wrong here but I find oatmeal more frightening than Scott Walker. The guy is simply not a national stage figure...neither is Rubio, sorry.

I could invision Perry and Bush winning...they'd play to win. It would be the most negative campaign ever and they'd only narrowly win. Maybe capitalizing on some mistake of Hillary's?

[stegosaurus]

I would say Christie if anybody. He's moderate enough, a good campaigner, and doesn't get thrown off by attacks and heavy criticism. Over the course of an entire campaign, he could make it interesting.

Paul could too theorhetically, but I don't think the foriegn policy climate is going to be favorable for him.

[Reaganfan]

I think Christie is the most electable. In fact, in a Hillary vs. Republican race, Christie gives me a sense of electable security.

Electable security? Christie is the only one that makes CO lean D instead of toss up. Even Huckabee polls better there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BPKTptC3qII&x-yt-cl=85114404&x-yt-ts=1422579428#t=1462

I think he is a great communicator.

[henster]

Walker will be 49 on ED while Clinton would be 69. He has no ties to DC while Hillary is the epitome of Washington politics, Walker will as an outsider while Hillary cannot. Walker can point to significant accomplishments that matter to middle class voters (cutting property taxes, freezing tuition, cutting spending, jobs) while Hillary's aren't very well known to voters. So yeah Walker worries me the most, not to mention he's won in a Dem firewall state at three times now while Hillary has been known not to be the best campaigner.

[Likely Voter]

Bush (assuming he sticks to his position on immigration reform) is probably the most formidable. Remember the last GOPer to win (George Bush Jr.) did it by appealing to non-whites and supporting immigration reform. Romney actually got a bigger share of the white vote than Bush in 04. He lost because of the incredibly bad numbers with non-whites.

[ShadowRocket]

Based on who I think will actually run: Walker and possibly Christie and Rubio as well. Maybe Paul in the right circumstances. Jeb would be done in by a combination of his blandness and lack of demand for another Bush presidency, and the rest are too far out of the mainstream.

[exopolitician]

Walker and Bush.

[RFayette]

Walker and Bush.

Why would Bush scare anyone?  His last name is toxic for any non-hard core GOPer.

[ElectionsGuy]

Walker probably should at least privately panic Dems. He won three 3 elections in 4 years with harsh opposition dead set on him, and I don't really see him as part of any faction of the GOP.

[Xing]

Bush - His money is something to be scared of, if nothing else. In terms of substance, though, I'm not too worried. The only way he'd win without a very favorable environment is by buying his victory.
Christie - I'd be a bit nervous, but I doubt he'll win the nomination. Also, I could see the skeletons in his closet really hurting him.
Walker - A bit, but people really love overstating his victories. If he's battle-tested, so is Sherrod Brown, and yet I don't think Republicans would be terrified of him. Also, he's not a very polished speaker, and that would almost certainly be a liability.
Kasich - He scares me the most. He would not be easy to beat.
Paul - Honestly, not really. I don't think the GOP establishment would ever be behind him.
Rubio - This guy is kind of an amateur, I'm really not too worried about him.
Cruz - Don't make me laugh.
Huckabee - See Cruz.
Santorum - See Huckabee.
Perry - See Santorum.
Palin - See Perry.
Carson - See Palin.