When did you first hear of each of the candidates?

[Phony Moderate]

Clinton - Early 2000s when I first took any interest in current affairs
Sanders - Sometime around 2008 when I read on the BBC website that Vermont had a socialist Senator
Biden - 2008
O'Malley - 2008/2009 maybe
Chafee - 2008/2009
Webb - 2008/2009

Bush - Mid 2000s when I first saw that episode of The Simpsons where Bush Sr. moved in across the road; Homer fooled him into thinking that "his sons - George Bush Jr. and Jeb Bush" were visiting.
Trump - 2009, perhaps came across the name earlier
Rubio - 2009, when he was (perceived to be) the nutcase challenger to Crist
Walker - 2010 cycle when MasterJedi had a big picture of him in his sig
Kasich - 2008/2009
Carson - 2013? Whenever he made that speech next to Obama, though it was a few weeks after the fact IIRC
Christie - When he was running against Corzine
Huckabee - 2008
Santorum - 2007ish, when I saw the episode of The Sopranos in which his name was mispronounced as "Sanitorium" and it was mentioned that he compared gays to bestiality.
Paul - 2009, or perhaps I saw a clip of him supporting his father during 2008.
Cruz - 2012 cycle
Fiorina - 2010 cycle
Gilmore - 2008, when he was a candidate on a President Forever scenario
Graham - 2008
Jindal - 2008, when he was talked of as the Great Hope of the GOP's future (lol)
Pataki - 2008/2009
Perry - 2008/2009

[Skye]

I don't really recall, since I didn't follow US politics until 2012.

So this is a funny answer, cause the candidate I heard about first was Donald Trump.

[Mr. Morden]

So this is a funny answer, cause the candidate I heard about first was Donald Trump.

The first one for me would also be Trump, but that was back in the 1980s.  I guess Clinton would be second, probably in 1991.  Many of the candidates (e.g., Sanders, Chafee, Graham, Kasich, Bush, Santorum, Pataki...) I would have first hear about in the 1990s, but it's hard to give a specific timeline on all of them.

[Donerail]

I had never heard of Jim Gilmore until now.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Clinton - 1991 or 1992
Sanders - I didn't know his name, but sometime around 1990.
Biden - Maybe 2002
O'Malley - 2006
Chafee - 1999
Webb - 2006

Bush - 1998
Trump - late 1980s
Rubio - 2010
Walker - 2010
Kasich - 2010
Carson - 2013
Christie - 2009
Huckabee - 2007 or so
Santorum - 2000
Paul - 2009 or 2010
Cruz - 2012
Fiorina - probably 2009
Gilmore - 2014?
Graham - 2002
Jindal - 2005
Pataki - 1994
Perry - 2000

[BaconBacon96]

Clinton- 2007
Sanders- 2011 or 2012
Biden- 2008
O'Malley- 2012
Chafee- 2012
Webb- 2013

Bush- 2008 or 2009
Trump- 2005 or 2006
Rubio- 2011
Walker- 2012
Kasich- 2013
Carson- 2013
Christie- 2012
Huckabee- 2011
Santorum- 2011
Paul- 2011
Cruz- 2013
Fiorina- 2014
Gilmore- 2011
Graham- 2012
Jindal- 2012
Pataki- 2008
Perry- 2011

[Kingpoleon]

Pataki: 2015
Graham: 2015
Gilmore: 2015
Others: 2014
Hillary Clinton: 2013
John Kasich: 2011
Joe Biden: 2009

[Horsemask]

Interesting thread!

Clinton - Probably sometime during the 90s while she was First Lady.*
Sanders - 2006 Mid Terms
Biden - Mid 2000s*
O'Malley - 2014
Chafee - Early 2010s*
Webb - 2008

Bush - Around 2000.*
Trump - Whenever the first season of Apprentice happened.
Rubio - 2009 run up to 2010 midterms.
Walker - During his whole recall fiasco, so I guess 2012?
Kasich - 2014
Carson - 2013
Christie - 2009, the night he defeated Jon Corzine.
Huckabee - 2008
Santorum - Mid 2000s*.
Paul - 2010
Cruz - 2012
Fiorina - 2010
Gilmore - 2008 when he ran for President briefly and then Senate.
Graham - 2008 because of his ties with McCain.
Jindal - 2008 because he was receiving speculation as being McCain's VP.
Pataki - Early 2000s, probably around 9/11*
Perry - Late 2000s*

* denotes approximations.

[Crumpets]

Clinton: Not sure, but probably some time around 2000, when she ran for Senate the first time
Biden: First Democratic primary debate in 2008
Sanders: His election to the Senate in 2006
O'Malley: When he was first included in 2016 polls, so sometime around 2013
Chafee: His election as Governor in 2010
Webb: His election to the Senate in 2006

Trump: 2nd season of the Apprentice, so 2004ish
Bush: Whenever this video came out, which was probably late 2004: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE8V22unwRo
Walker: His election as Governor in 2010
Kasich: His election as Governor in 2010
Rubio: His Senate campaign in 2010
Carson: CPAC 2013
Huckabee: When he won Iowa in 2008
Cruz: When he won his Senate primary in 2012
Fiorina: Her Senate loss in 2010
Santorum: When he declared his run for president in 2012, although I probably heard his name in 2006.
Paul: His interview with Rachel Maddow on the Civil Rights Act in 2010
Christie: That time he flew a helicopter to his son's baseball game in 2011
Perry: Summer of 2011 not long before he announced his run for President
Graham: A Daily Show bit from late 2008/early 2009
Jindal: 2009, when everyone was convinced he would be the nominee in 2012
Pataki: Last year sometime
Gilmore: Probably in 2008, but I completely forgot about him until earlier this year

[The Mikado]

Hillary Clinton: 1992
Joe Biden: 2002
Bernie Sanders: 2005
Jim Webb: 2005
Lincoln Chafee: 2002
O'Malley: 2006

Donald Trump: 2000
Jeb Bush: 1998
Scott Walker: 2010
John Kasich: 1998? (during impeachment)
Marco Rubio: 2010
Ben Carson: 2012
Mike Huckabee: 2007
Ted Cruz: 2012
Carly Fiorina: 2010
Rick Santorum: 2000
Rand Paul: 2010 (Ron Paul's kid is running for Senate? In Kentucky?)
Chris Christie: 2009
Rick Perry: 1998
Lindsey Graham: 2002
Bobby Jindal: 2003
George Pataki: 2001
Jim Gilmore: 2008

[Mister Mets]

Interesting question. For context, I'm a New Yorker born in the mid 80s.

Hillary Clinton- Probably shorly after she became first lady.
Joe Biden- Probably when I started following politics more in the 2000s.
Bernie Sanders- 2008 or so, when I realized we had a socialist Senator.
Martin O'Malley- 2008 when he was a prominent Governor.
Lincoln Chafee- The Daily Show did a bit on his losing Senate campaign in 2006.
Jim Webb- When he was a top candidate for Senate in 2006.

Jeb Bush- 2000, when he was the brother of a presidential candidate.
Donald Trump- 1990s, when he had some bankruptcy issues that entertained my parents.
Scott Walker- 2010, when he was elected Governor.
Marco Rubio- 2009, when he started running for Senate.
John Kasich- 2008, when he was considered a potential McCain running mate.
Carly Fiorina- Early 2000s, when she was a significant female CEO.
Ben Carson- 2013, when he got attention for the prayer breakfast.
Chris Christie- 2009, when he ran for Governor.
Rand Paul- 2009, when he was a tea party candidate for Senate.
Ted Cruz- 2011/2012, when he was a considerate favorite for Senate.
Rick Perry- Probably his 2006 reelection bid.
George Pataki- 1990s, when he was my Governor.
Lindsey Graham- 2007, when he was McCain's buddy.
Jim Gilmore- His 2008 ass-kicking.
Rick Santorum- His 2006 relection bid.
Mike Huckabee- Early 2000s, when he was a folksy Governor.
Bobby Jindal- 2008, when he was a rising star Governor.

[dudeabides]

Jeb Bush - 2000 being the brother of George W. Bush and Governor of Florida, a state I visit often
Marco Rubio - 2010, I was for him in the U.S. Senate race
Scott Walker - 2011 after he took on the unions
Chris Christie - 2008 when he was being talked about as a candidate for Governor
John Kasich - 2004 on Fox News
Rick Santorum - 2006 when he was running for re-election
Mike Huckabee - 2006 when he began testing the waters for a 2008 presidential run
Donald Trump - 2004 when I learned he was an arrogant POS
Jim Gilmore - 2007 when he announced his presidential bid for 2008
George Pataki - 2004 when I first became engaged in politics, he was Governor of my neighboring state
Ted Cruz - 2012 during a Meet the Press interview, I thought he was quite over rated even then
Rand Paul - 2009 when he announced he would run for U.S. Senate
Rick Perry - 2005 after I read he succeeded George W. Bush as Governor of Texas
Ben Carson - 2013 after the National Prayer Breakfast that made him famous
Bobby Jindal - 2007 when he became the first Indian-American Governor
Lindsey Graham - 2007 when he endorsed John McCain for President
Carly Fiorina - 2008 when she supported John McCain for President
Hillary Clinton - 1995 when she was First Lady
Bernie Sanders - 2006, I was shocked there was a socialist in the U.S. Senate
Martin O'Malley - 2010 during his re-election campaign
Jim Webb - 2006 when he was elected to the U.S. Senate
Lincoln Chafee - 2006 when he was defeated for re-election
Joe Biden - 2006 when he was testing the waters for a 2008 presidential run

[/]

LOL no idea for any of them

[Smash255]

Wow this thread makes me feel old....


Clinton -1992
Sanders -late 90's
Biden - late 90
O'Malley - 2004 or so
Chafee - 2002  (Iraq vote)
Webb - 2006

Bush - around the time W was elected
Trump - mid 90's
Rubio - 2009
Walker - 2010
Kasich - 2008 maybe
Carson - 2006 name was mentioned in the Wire
Christie - 2006/07
Huckabee - early 2000's
Santorum - early 2000's.
Paul - 2009
Cruz - 2012
Fiorina - 2010, though may have heard the name during her HP days
Gilmore - 2004
Graham - early 2000's
Jindal - 2006 maybe
Pataki - 1994
Perry -his absurd Lawrence V Texas reaction

[Oak Hills]

Context: I was born in Rhode Island in 1995, moved to Tennessee in 1998, and first learned about politics from my dad in the mid- to late-two-thousand-aughts.

Clinton:  2006, when she was getting ready to run for president.
Sanders:  2006, when my dad told me a socialist had been elected to the Senate, which I thought was really cool.
Biden:  2007, when he was running for president.
O'Malley: About 2008 or 2009, when I tried to learn the governors of all fifty states late in middle school.
Chafee:  About '07 or '08, when my dad was telling me about Rhode Island politics.
Webb:  Probably about 2010, when I started to be familiar with the names of most senators.

Bush: 2010, when people started talking about him a potential candidate for 2012.
Trump:  Early to mid '00s, as a celebrity/pop-culture figure.
Rubio:  2010, when he was running for Senate.
Walker:  2010, when he was running for governor.
Kasich: see Walker
Carson:  2013 after his comments at the prayer breakfast.
Christie:  2009, when he was running for governor.
Huckabee:  2007, when he was running for president.
Santorum:  2010, when I first saw his name floated as a potential 2012 candidate.
Paul:  2010, just before he won the Senate primary.
Cruz:  2012, right after he made it to the Senate primary runoff.
Fiorina:  2010, when she was running for Senate.
Gilmore:  I'm honestly not sure.  Either 2008, or 2014.
Graham:  '09 or '10, in an article about him trying to find a compromise with Democrats on healthcare, budget, or immigration; don't remember which.
Jindal:  About 2006 or 2007 from my dad mentioning him.
Pataki:  2009 or 2010, when I first saw presidential speculation about him.
Perry:  Mid-2000s, when my dad, who is from Texas, told me about him.

[okierepublican]

Clinton. Early 90's
Sanders early 2000's
Chafee 2000 or 2001
Webb: 2006
Omalley 2010ish

Trump. Mid 80's
Jeb: 1994
Walker 2011
Rubio: 2010
Kasich: late 90's
Pataki: 1994
Carson. 2012 ish
Christie: 2009
Paul 2010
Cruz: 2013
Fiorina: 2010
Perry: early 2000s
Jindal: 2010
Gilmore: last month.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Hillary - 1992
Biden - mid 1990s
Chafee - 2003
Webb - 2006 Senate primary campaign
Sanders - 2006
O'Malley - 2010

Trump - early 1990s
Carson - early 1990s (Gifted Hands)
Santorum - 1994
Jeb - mid 1990s
Gilmore - mid 1990s
Pataki - mid-late 1990s
Kasich - mid-late 1990s
Graham - 2004
Huckabee - 2005
Jindal - 2008
Christie - 2009
Paul - 2009
Rubio - 2009
Walker - 2010
Fiorina - 2010
Perry - 2010
Cruz - 2012

[Rocky Rockefeller]

Clinton- sometime in the 90s
Sanders- 2012
Webb- 2012
Chaffee- 2012
Biden- his first inauguration in 2009


Trump- sometime in the mid 2000s
Jeb- 2012
Walker- 2011
Rubio- 2010
Paul- 2012
Cruz- 2012
Christie- 2010 or 11
Kasich- 2012
Huckabee- my grandparents watched his show so sometime between 2008 and 2012
Pataki- early 2000s
Graham- 2012
Perry- 2011
Jindal- 2012
Carson- 2013 or 14
Santorum- 2011
Fiorina and Gilmore this year

[GOP732]

Context: Born in NJ in 1990

Trump:  Late 90's visiting Atlantic City with my family
Rubio:  2010 Senate Primary- 1st candidate I ever donated to
Pataki:  9/11/2001
Bush: 2000 recount
Walker:  2010 gov election
Kasich: On Fox News anywhere from 2003-2007?
Carson:  2013 prayer breakfast
Christie:  2008 before he ran for Governor
Huckabee:  2007 presidential election
Santorum:  2012 presidential election
Paul:  2010 senate election
Cruz:  2012 senate election
Fiorina:  2010 senate election
Gilmore:  Sometime between 2008 and 2012 looking at failed '08 candidates
Graham:  No idea
Jindal:  No idea
Perry: 2008 presidential election

Clinton:  90's
Sanders:  2010 filibuster maybe?
Biden:  Picked for VP in 2008
Chafee:  2010 Gov election
O'Malley & Webb: within the last 12 months

[VPH]

Clinton - 2004
Sanders - 2010
Biden - 2008
O'Malley - 2013
Chafee - 2012
Webb - 2014

Bush - 2009
Trump - 2006
Rubio - 2012
Walker - 2012
Kasich - 2013
Carson - 2014
Christie - 2012
Huckabee - 2008
Santorum - 2011
Paul - 2012
Cruz - 2013
Fiorina - 2015
Gilmore - 2015
Graham - 2014
Jindal - 2013
Pataki - 2014
Perry - 2011

[bagelman]

Clinton - 2007 when she was the favorite
Sanders - 2012 When he was re-elected to the senate as an indie and the media's first question to him was something like "You're really a democrat, right? So there's no threat to the two party system? Just making sure we don't have to worry".
Biden - 2008, as the future Vice President of the United States and Obama's running mate. Even then I viewed him as a ticket balancer, but didn't dislike him.
O'Malley - now
Chafee - now
Webb - who?

Bush - probably around the '12 election cycle.
Trump - When he started blabbing about how Obama's a Kenyan and kept going for years longer than all the other wingnuts. This would have been around the '10 and '12 election cycles, after more prominent birthers gave up. Now even I momentarily forget about this, and I'm sure most of his supporters don't remember at all.
Rubio - now
Walker - When elected gov. of WI and passed laws that made liberals occupy the statehouse. (He was just another name of a news screen when elected in '10)
Kasich - 2010 when elected gov. of my home state.
Carson - now
Christie - '10 election cycle
Huckabee - 2007
Santorum - 2007
Paul - now
Cruz - I might have heard of him during the '12 cycle, as just another wingnut
Fiorina - Heard some news story before she was a politician about her being opposed to gay rights in the workplace. Don't remember year.
Gilmore - who?
Graham - who?
Jindal - '08 or '12 cycle when he had much more promise
Pataki - who?
Perry - When he started talking (probably rhetorical) about how Texas should secede from the Obama States of America.

Note: Now refers to within the past couple months, while "who?" refers to "I first heard of this figure on this forum"

[skoods]

For perspective, I'm 27 and really first got deeply into politics in advance of the 2004 election. Though, being alive in the 90s, I was slightly aware of the Clinton admin.

Clinton - 1996 election was the first that I went to vote with my parents, so I remember them talking about the Clintons.
Sanders - 2006 midterm election night, when he won in Vermont.
Biden - 2007 in advance of the 2008 elections. I read about him and his 1988 plagiarized speech.
O'Malley - 2012 Democratic Convention.
Chafee - 2006 midterm elections I think.
Webb - 2006 midterm elections when he beat George "Macaca" Allen.

Bush - 2000 Election in Florida.
Trump - 1999. When I was in 7th grade Social Studies class, one of my classmates said he saw on TV that Trump was considering running for the GOP nod and my teacher said there was no chance.
Rubio - 2010 Election.
Walker - 2012 during the recall.
Kasich - 2012.
Carson - 2014.
Christie - 2009.
Huckabee - 2008 Election
Santorum - Being originally from Pennsylvania, I was aware of him by 1999-2000.
Paul - 2010 election when one of his supporters curb stomped someone.
Cruz - 2012 election.
Fiorina - 2012 election.
Gilmore - 2008 when he was still a nobody.
Graham - 2006 midterm maybe?
Jindal - January 2007 when I visited New Orleans.
Pataki - 2004 GOP convention (9/11, 9/11, 9/11, global terrorism, Saddam Hussein, Obama bin Laden, 9/11, 9/11)
Perry - 2011.

[Mehmentum]

Clinton - Really not sure.  I probably heard about her when I was a kid, but I don't remember that.  My first memories of knowing who she was are from the 2007 primary season.
Trump - No clue, its been a while.
Bush- Probably sometime during the 2000s, I remember knowing that George's brother was governor of Florida on his first election.

Webb- 2006 midterms.
Sanders- 2006 midterms.
Biden- 2007 primary season.
Paul - 2007
Huckabee- 2007
Gilmore - During the 2008 election when he got curb-stomped by Warner.
Graham - I think 2008.
Jindal - 2009 state of the union response
Christie - 2009
Fiorina - 2010, during her Senate candidacy.
Rubio - 2010
Walker - 2011, during the union protests
Santorum - 2011 primary season
Perry - 2011
Cruz - 2012
Carson - 2013
Kasich - 2014
O-Malley- 2014
Chafee- 2014
Pataki - Who? (jk, 2015)

[ElectionsGuy]

Huckabee - 2008
Clinton - 2008
Biden - 2008

Walker - 2010

Perry - 2012
Santorum - 2012
Christie - 2012

Pataki - 2014
Chafee - 2014
Gilmore - 2014
O'Malley - 2014
Webb - 2014

The rest - 2013

2013 was a turning point for me. Since my parents are very political, I was exposed to the 2008 and 2012 (especially 2012) elections by them, but the obvious fascination by politics didn't kick in until early 2013.

[Nym90]

Clinton - 1991 or 1992
Sanders - I didn't know his name, but sometime around 1990.
Biden - Maybe 2002
O'Malley - 2006
Chafee - 1999
Webb - 2006

Bush - 1998
Trump - late 1980s
Rubio - 2010
Walker - 2010
Kasich - 2010
Carson - 2013
Christie - 2009
Huckabee - 2007 or so
Santorum - 2000
Paul - 2009 or 2010
Cruz - 2012
Fiorina - probably 2009
Gilmore - 2014?
Graham - 2002
Jindal - 2005
Pataki - 1994
Perry - 2000

Hadn't heard of Biden before 2002? I guess you didn't watch the Anita Hill/Clarence Thomas hearings.