Possible Republican Candidates
Over the next few months, Republicans will begin to announce their candidacies for their party’s nomination, and political observers are watching closely to see how the field shapes up. Speculation has centered on the following ten potential candidates, but there are likely to be some surprises as well.
- Mitt Romney – The former governor of Massachussetts, Romney was the second-place finisher in the 2008 Republican primaries, and is ready to try again.
- Tim Pawlenty – The former governor of Minnesota, Pawlenty chose not to run for re-election and is certain to run for President. Pawlenty was on John McCain’s short list for Vice President in 2008.
- Newt Gingrich – Hailing from Georgia, the former Speaker of the House and Bill Clinton’s nineties nemesis has reinvented himself as a thorn in the side of the Obama administration and is expected to announce a bid within the next two weeks.
- Rick Santorum – A former Senator from Pennsylvania, Santorum was defeated in 2006 by current senator Bob Casey. An ardent social conservative, he has been traveling and speaking extensively in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states home to the first two nominating contests.
- Mike Huckabee – The former governor of Arkansas, Huckabee performed strongly in the 2008 primaries and has strong numbers in early polling.
- Sarah Palin – The former governor of Alaska and 2008 Vice Presidential nominee, Palin needs no introduction.
- Haley Barbour – The current governor of Mississippi and former chairman of the Republican National Committee, Barbour is considering a run but recently drew attention for controversial comments regarding the civil rights movement.
- Jon Huntsman – The current ambassador to China and former governor of Utah, Huntsman recently submitted his resignation to President Obama and is considering a run.
- Mitch Daniels – The current governor of Indiana, Daniels has built a national reputation for fiscal conservatism and social moderation, but has expressed concern about the consequences of a bid on his family life.
- Ron Paul – A Texas congressman representing the Galveston area, Ron Paul’s libertarian policies earned him a devoted following in the 2008 primaries. His son Rand Paul was recently elected Senator from Kentucky.