If you want to go way back to 2011, I was predicting that Christie and Rubio would be the top two most likely 2016 nominees (assuming Obama reelection in 2012). In March 2012, here's what I predicted to be the early nomination odds in the betting markets (again, if we were to assume an Obama win in the 2012 GE):
GOP
Christie 18
Rubio 18
Jindal 11
McDonnell 10
Bush 8
Ryan 8
Huckabee 6
Palin 5
Santorum 5
Rand Paul 4
Of course, that was pre-Ryan being selected as VP, but as I recall, at that time, Christie, Rubio, Jindal, McDonnell, and Ryan were all being talked about as potential Romney running mates, so I think I was factoring in the possibility that one of them might get a boost from being Mitt's veep nominee.
