Who will be the GOP's (insert candidate)?

[retromike22]

Giuliani 2008? (frontrunner who has issues with the base, manages to not win a single primary)
McCain 2008? (frontrunner who loses support, left for dead in the summer before, but comes back to win an early primary state and then the nomination)
Huckabee 2008/Santorum 2012? (third tier candidate who rises up to win the Iowa Caucus thanks to social conservatives)
Thompson 2008/Perry 2012? (late entry hailed as conservative savior by the base, but sucks in debates and doesn't win a single primary state in the end)
Romney 2008? (Caucus power but only a few primary state wins)
Pawlenty 2012? (Establishment pick who is so lackluster that he's out before the Iowa caucuses)

Giuliani: Bush or Rubio
McCain: Christie or Walker
Huckabee: Maybe Perry, possibly Cruz or Jindal
Perry: Jindal or Cruz
Romney 08: Paul
Pawlenty: Walker or Rubio

Feel free to add more.

Here's another one:
Gilmore 08 (total has-been who gets nowhere): Pataki

[retromike22]

When was Pawlenty ever doing as well as Walker is now?

There was a very brief moment of Pawlenty mania for about one month, but I'm assuming that's what Walker is going through now. But I could be wrong.

[IceSpear]

When was Pawlenty ever doing as well as Walker is now?

There was a very brief moment of Pawlenty mania for about one month, but I'm assuming that's what Walker is going through now. But I could be wrong.

I guess I wasn't paying attention then.

There might have been "Pawlenty mania" for a month among the DC pundits, but I don't recall there ever being any in the polls or among the grassroots.

[SPC]

Keep in mind that History doesn't always repeat itself, but it does rhyme. None of these are likelier than not to pan out, but here's how they would go if they did:

Giuliani 2008: Bush fits the bill best, if anyone.
McCain 2008: I could picture Christie or Rubio in this position.
Huckabee 2008/Santorum 2012: Jindal is my guess
Thompson 2008/Perry 2012: Walker, Kasich, Pence?
Romney 2008: Paul
Pawlenty 2012: This actually might be a more plausible place for Jindal

[ShadowRocket]

Giuliani '08: Bush
McCain '08: Christie or Rubio
Huckabee '08/Santorum '12: Jindal or Carson
Thompson '08/Perry '12: Pence
Romney '08: Paul
Pawlenty '12: Rubio or potentially Christie

[VPH]

Giuliani 2008: Chris Christie
McCain 2008: Scott Walker
Huckabee 2008/Santorum 2012: Bobby Jindal
Perry 2012: Ted Cruz
Pawlenty 2012: Rubio
Paul 2012: Rand Paul
Tancredo/Brownback 2008: Ben Carson
Gilmore 2008: George Pataki
Huntsman 2012: John Kasich

Also, there should be a Democrat version of this thread too. It would be pretty cool. (Of course under the assumption that by some twist of fate the race becomes competitive)

[retromike22]

Also, there should be a Democrat version of this thread too. It would be pretty cool. (Of course under the assumption that by some twist of fate the race becomes competitive)

Gore 2000: Clinton
Bradley 2000: Everyone else combined.

[IceSpear]

Also, there should be a Democrat version of this thread too. It would be pretty cool. (Of course under the assumption that by some twist of fate the race becomes competitive)

Gore 2000: Clinton
Bradley 2000: Everyone else combined.

Sanders is probably more likely to become the Bradley. Webb and O'Malley will likely fizzle out and become irrelevant. Webb's niche is a dying breed that will at best get him decent showings in Appalachia and Oklahoma. As for O'Malley, who does he really appeal to? I doubt there's very much overlap between the "Hillary is a far right neoliberal warmonger" group and the "Sanders is a socialist? That's SCARY!!!!" group.

[VPH]

Also, there should be a Democrat version of this thread too. It would be pretty cool. (Of course under the assumption that by some twist of fate the race becomes competitive)

Gore 2000: Clinton
Bradley 2000: Everyone else combined.

Sanders is probably more likely to become the Bradley. Webb and O'Malley will likely fizzle out and become irrelevant. Webb's niche is a dying breed that will at best get him decent showings in Appalachia and Oklahoma. As for O'Malley, who does he really appeal to? I doubt there's very much overlap between the "Hillary is a far right neoliberal warmonger" group and the "Sanders is a socialist? That's SCARY!!!!" group.

Just really generic liberals, probably mostly from Maryland or Virginia.

Catholic dems? Idk. I can see Sanders being Bradley 2000 or Kucinich 2004. Webb as Clark 2004 for sure.

[VPH]

Also, there should be a Democrat version of this thread too. It would be pretty cool. (Of course under the assumption that by some twist of fate the race becomes competitive)

Gore 2000: Clinton
Bradley 2000: Everyone else combined.

Sanders is probably more likely to become the Bradley. Webb and O'Malley will likely fizzle out and become irrelevant. Webb's niche is a dying breed that will at best get him decent showings in Appalachia and Oklahoma. As for O'Malley, who does he really appeal to? I doubt there's very much overlap between the "Hillary is a far right neoliberal warmonger" group and the "Sanders is a socialist? That's SCARY!!!!" group.

Just really generic liberals, probably mostly from Maryland or Virginia.

Catholic dems? Idk. I can see Sanders being Bradley 2000 or Kucinich 2004. Webb as Clark 2004 for sure.

At least Clark won a couple states, I'm not sure Webb will win anything.

Eh, I could see him pulling Oklahoma, Idaho, Wyoming, West Virginia, etc