Name all the GOPers that will run in 2012.

[ColbertWatcher]

We know Palin's in, but who else will run?

I'll start:

* Jethro
* 9iu11iani
* Tom Ridge
* Mitt Romney
* Darryl Issa

Who do you think will run--not win--but just run?

[mediaman007]

1. Please limit your use of GOPhers to GOPers. In Minnesota we finally

have a football team (UofM Gophers) that is respectable. Any link between these Saturday warriors and the ChickenHawk GOP is distasteful.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. I'm sorry, it's been changed. n/t

[mediaman007]

3. I've got to believe Tim Pawlenty's in the mix.

[Reform]

4. I would say Ron Paul but

He's 73 currently and would be 77 by the next election but who knows, I'm sure some one from his Campaign For Liberty program will run.
Huckabee may as well, his face will be on t.v all the time with his new show
Regardless who will be running for them it will be incredibly tough for them no matter who it is if Obama has a successful first 4 years.

[TlalocW]

5. Hucklebee might try again

Bobby Jindal might be convinced he's ready.

I kind of believe that Santorum might jump in. He loved being in a position of power, and he has the right amount of crazy to get backing from some religious conservatives.

TlalocW

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. Whoever is left functioning after the circular firing squad.

There may not be many because I think they will be using

WMDs on each other! Gonna be a show hopefully!

[dipsydoodle]

7. I too was going ask

GOPers or gophers.

[Seen the light]

8. Jindal already has an Iowa event for next month. Palin's running also.

Mittens will too, possibly Huckabee. Don't know about the rest.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. Jindal!? Wow. n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. They're gonna run AWAY from an Obama machine empowered with the bully pulpit

and fueled by 4 years of improvement.

They'll be lucky to get anyone to run.

[ColbertWatcher]

12. This is what I'm thinking. I just wanted to see who everyone thought it would be! n/t

[saltpoint]

11. Romney's almost certainly in the game. It's crossed Palin's mind as well, in

so far as she has a mind.

Jindal, I suppose, but my god.

Huckabee.

John Cornyn.

Charlie Crist would like to jump in but I'm not sure we'll see him. Maybe.

It will be intersting to watch the campaign appearances for the 2010 Congressional elections to see who is campaigning for whom in exchange for support for the GOP nom in 2012.

[MiniMe]

13. Palin is already setting herself up for 2012 imho

[saltpoint]

18. She might as well at least try. McCain has not helped her by

putting her in the national limelight, which is clearly too bright for the likes of her, and he hasn't helped himself or his party either with her selection.

[thatsrightimirish]

14. I'm sure Jindal will

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Will there be any Republicans left to run in 2012?

Seriously, the GOP is going to experience a difficult sea change between now and 2012; that makes predicting who will run almost impossible right now.

Mrs. Palin, yes. However, the only way her candicacy can be successful in getting the nomination will be if all there is left in the GOP are her fellow Christofascists. That would make the Republican nomination worthless, not just because it would be too ideologically extreme, but for that to come about Obama would be extremely successful as president.

[ThoughtCriminal]

16. Newt

Trying to bring back 1994.

[lpbk2713]

17. These two live wires ....

Of course it all hinges on whether they can get away from their current jobs
as Admins for the highly popular and very succesful (:rofl:) FreeRepublic website.

[OmahaBlueDog]

19. I'm going to go a whole different direction with this one

How many parties/3rd party candidates will run in 2012?

There are two schools of thought right mow. One is that the GOP tightens up and circles the wagons a la '92 and '74. The other is that a 3rd party emerges. To me, it's becoming increasingly obvious that many in the GOP don't want any part of the toxic atmosphere that has gripped the core of the party. I also think the defense hawks and the small government (read: Ron Paul/Grover Norquist) are about done with one another.

It wouldn't be hard to imagine people like Donald Trump, Michael Bloomberg, Schwarzeneger, Chuck Hagel, Joe Lieberman, Charlie Crist, Collins, Snowe, Linc Chaffee, resurrecting Ross Perot's old party, or attempting to form a new party on the principles of a) fiscal conservatism (lower taxes, balanced budgets, free trade, anti-union), b) pragmatic foreign policy (i.e. actually negotiating with other countries), c) moderate social policy (status quo on abortion and same sex marriage). Put simply, they'd essentially resurrect the country-club Republican brand.

I'm also seeing a movement among a small, but vocal number of gen-xers entiring middle age toward a radical libertarian agenda. These are the Ron Paul/Grover Norquist "abolish the IRS" types. Their numbers are small, but their dedication is boundless, and they raise money about as well as Plouffe and Axelrod.

on edit: I'll mention one other thing that is not a comfy topic here, and that will be the temptation for us to eat our own. Once the euphoria wears off (assuming Barack is elected), there will be many in the party who will say "now that we've gotten rid of the Republicans, let's purge the DINOs." I've noted many who seem more bent on fighting the DLC than the GOP. For that reason, I'l say (as I've said before) that the DLC wing may no longer be with us in two years. OTOH, winning a GE heals a lot of wounds.

SO. the basic answer would be Jindal and Jeb, but the true answer is that I think we're in for a wild ride, and the landscape may look really different in '12. We may have not 2, but as many as 4 viable candidates on the ballot and a real potential for some odd alliances and outcomes.

[ColbertWatcher]

20. Interesting.

I agree with your basic premise, but I think it will be a long time before we have more than 2 major candidates in a general election. Maybe in the primaries, but not in the general.

[OmahaBlueDog]

24. I don't think it will be as long as you suppose

Imagine 1992 and Ross Perot, but now imagine you have two elections worth of internet organizing and fundraising experience at your disposal. Imagine a 3rd party that is not made up of a fringe billionaire, playing outsider, but a cadre of seasoned politicians who would look to like minded independents, Repblicans, and conservative Democrats throughout the nation to enter state races, Congressional races, and Senate races. It could be done relatively quickly, if done by people who can combine vision and organization.

[misanthrope]

23. Please explain the significance of your sig to me...

...I have a suspicion as to its meaning but am likely wrong.

[southernleftylady]

21. Jeb Bush

:tinfoilhat: ;)

[Ishoutandscream2]

22. Oh, boy. I really don't know how he could do it

The name "Bush" is tainted forever. Poor Jeb - the "bright one" will never get his day in the sun.

[OmahaBlueDog]

25. I suggested this in another post. Jeb as Veep.

Put Bobby Jindal out as the front man and put Jeb behind him as the éminence grise

[marmar]

26. Tom Tancredo/Virgil Goode 2012.....

For a more Aryan Amerikkka!

[ColbertWatcher]

29. That would be one nasty, ugly ticket! n/t

[FM Arouet666]

27. John McCain

Assuming the old bird is still kicking it in 12'

Seriously, I bet the GOP finds someone we have not heard much about for the 2012 election. Jethro is too bushy and 911 boy is too slimy. Tom and Mitt are not very energizing, Darryl might be a go for them.

Young, very conservative, perhaps a minority to push their cynical view of race, and very religious. I would guess.... Bobby Jindal vs Obama in 2012. Whoever they pick, if Obama does a phenomenal job they could have Christ/Holy Ghost in 2012 and it wont matter much.

[Rancid Crabtree]

28. Pennywise...he's about due for another run. n/t

[tjwash]

30. Hopefully the rapture will happen before then and miracle their collective asses out of here.