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==First election without incumbents since 1928==  

==First election without incumbents since 1928==  

The President of the United States often runs for reelection, if not the Vice-President of the United States runs after he leaves office. 2008 will mark the first time since the 1928 election in which there is neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice-president running for his party's presidential nomination and thus not running in the presidential election. In the Presidential contest in 1952, the race was between Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower and Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson. Vice President Alben Barkley sought but failed to win the Democratic nomination. Current Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] has repeatedly stated he will not run for President. "I will say just as hard as I possibly know how to say... If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," Cheney said on Fox News Sunday.

The President of the United States often runs for reelection. If not, the Vice-President of the United States runs after he leaves office. 2008 will mark the first time since the 1928 election in which there is neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice-president running for his party's presidential nomination and thus not running in the presidential election. In the Presidential contest in 1952, the race was between Republican candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower and Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson. Vice President Alben Barkley sought but failed to win the Democratic nomination. Current Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] has repeatedly stated he will not run for President. "I will say just as hard as I possibly know how to say... If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," Cheney said on Fox News Sunday.

== Battleground States ==

== Battleground States ==

The United States has become so regionally polarized that even though the 2004 presidential election was close nationwide, only nine states had outcomes having less than 4% margin between the candidates:

The United States has become so regionally polarized that even though the 2004 presidential election was close nationwide, only nine states had outcomes having less than 4% margin between the candidates:

== Republican Strategy ==

== Republican Strategy ==

The Republican presidential nominee must win Wisconsin or Minnesota, and hold Iowa.  The outcome in New Mexico, which has only 5 electoral votes, is irrelevant.  Minnesota's margin of victory for the Democrats in 2004 probably places it out of reach for Republicans in 2008.

The Republican presidential nominee must win Wisconsin or Minnesota, and hold Iowa.  The outcome in New Mexico, which has only 5 electoral votes, is irrelevant.  Minnesota's margin of victory for the Democrats in 2004 probably places it out of reach for Republicans in 2008.

===Declared Republican Party Candidates===

===Declared Republican Party Candidates===

Senator [[Sam Brownback]], [[Kansas]]

Senator [[Sam Brownback]], [[Kansas]]

===Republican Party Members with Presidential Exploratory Committees===

===Republican Party Members with Presidential Exploratory Committees===

Former Senator [[Fred Thompson]], [[Tennessee]]

Former Senator [[Fred Thompson]], [[Tennessee]]

== Democratic Strategy ==

== Democratic Strategy ==

As usual, the best strategy for Democrats is a hot topic for debate among members of that party and independent [[pundits]].  [[Daily Kos]] can occasionally provide arguments on the strategy that should be pursued by Democrats, although most posts there are simply rants against the Republicans or Democrats deemed insufficiently [[liberal]], which led [[Barack Obama]] to say in 2006 that he found the site "predictable."  A majority of Democrats are confident that the cratering popularity of [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] and particularly [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] puts them in a highly favorable position for 2008, to the extent it may even be their race to lose.

As usual, the best strategy for Democrats is a hot topic for debate among members of that party and independent [[pundits]].  [[Daily Kos]] can occasionally provide arguments on the strategy that should be pursued by Democrats, although most posts there are simply rants against the Republicans or Democrats deemed insufficiently [[liberal]], which led [[Barack Obama]] to say in 2006 that he found the site "predictable."  A majority of Democrats are confident that the cratering popularity of [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] and particularly [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] puts them in a highly favorable position for 2008, to the extent it may even be their race to lose.

However, evaluating the race in [[Electoral College]] terms forces caution upon the Democrats.  Between the [[United States presidential election, 2000]] and the [[United States Presidential election of 2004]], only three states budged from one party to the other:  New Mexico (from Democratic to Republican), Iowa (from Democratic to Republican) and New Hampshire (from Republican to Democratic).  The American people would seem to be not only strongly divided, but in the vast majority of states, faithful over a period of years to their chosen parties.  Not even the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] could persuade the people of New York to vote Republican, for example, and it is highly unlikely that the depopulation of [[New Orleans]] will be considered a good reason for the majority of voters in Louisiana to become Democrats.  The phrase [[Second Coming Republicans]] (or Democrats) takes on new meaning in light of the relative lack of party-switching in response to these events.   

However, evaluating the race in [[Electoral College]] terms forces caution upon the Democrats.  Between the [[United States presidential election, 2000]] and the [[United States Presidential election, 2004]], only three states budged from one party to the other:  New Mexico (from Democratic to Republican), Iowa (from Democratic to Republican) and New Hampshire (from Republican to Democratic).  The American people would seem to be not only strongly divided, but in the vast majority of states, faithful over a period of years to their chosen parties.  Not even the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] could persuade the people of New York to vote Republican, for example, and it is highly unlikely that the depopulation of [[New Orleans]] will be considered a good reason for the majority of voters in Louisiana to become Democrats.  The phrase [[Second Coming Republicans]] (or Democrats) takes on new meaning in light of the relative lack of party-switching in response to these events.   

Had all three of the above [[swing states]] voted Democratic in 2000, [[Al Gore]] would be President today, so this is the result Democrats should especially aim for.  This does not necessarily mean they can let their guard down in the states that voted their way in both of the last two elections -- particularly if the Republicans nominate [[Rudy Giuliani]], [[Mitt Romney]], or another candidate associated with one of those states.

Had all three of the above [[swing states]] voted Democratic in 2000, and everything else remained the same, [[Al Gore]] would have become President in 2001, so this is the result Democrats should especially aim for.  This does not necessarily mean they can let their guard down in the states that voted their way in both of the last two elections -- particularly if the Republicans nominate [[Rudy Giuliani]], [[Mitt Romney]], or another candidate associated with one of those states.

Evaluating the race by historic analogy, the last Senator elected President and the last Northern Democrat elected President were the same person:  [[John F. Kennedy]], in the [[United States presidential election, 1960]].  If this pattern continues to hold true this cycle, the candidate best positioned this year is [[Bill Richardson]], who is cast somewhat against type as a member of the [[National Rifle Association]] and also has the distinction of being from one of the three [[swing states]] cited above.  In strong second place would probably be [[John Edwards]], but it needs to be said that the Democrat who can carry Edwards' home state of [[North Carolina]] in a Presidential election probably hasn't been born yet.  [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] was the last person to do so, just after writing off most of the South for the Democratic Party by passing the [[1964 Civil Rights Act]].  Still, the Democrats, as pointed out above, feel for the most part that this is their race to lose and may "let it all hang out" in the belief that any of their first-tier candidates (though probably not Gravel or Kucinich) will handily defeat a [[generic]] Republican candidate.

Evaluating the race by historic analogy, the last Senator elected President and the last Northern Democrat elected President were the same person:  [[John F. Kennedy]], in the [[United States presidential election, 1960]].  If this pattern continues to hold true this cycle, the candidate best positioned this year is [[Bill Richardson]], who is cast somewhat against type as a member of the [[National Rifle Association]] and also has the distinction of being from one of the three [[swing states]] cited above.  In strong second place would probably be [[John Edwards]], but it needs to be said that the Democrat who can carry Edwards' home state of [[North Carolina]] in a Presidential election probably hasn't been born yet.  [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] was the last person to do so, just after writing off most of the South for the Democratic Party by passing the [[1964 Civil Rights Act]].  Still, the Democrats, as pointed out above, feel for the most part that this is their race to lose and may "let it all hang out" in the belief that any of their first-tier candidates (though probably not Gravel or Kucinich) will handily defeat a [[generic]] Republican candidate.

===Declared Democratic Party Candidates===

===Declared Democratic Party Candidates===

Senator [[Joseph Biden]], [[Delaware]]

Senator [[Joseph Biden]], [[Delaware]]

Governor [[Bill Richardson]], [[New Mexico]]

Governor [[Bill Richardson]], [[New Mexico]]

==Third parties==

==Third parties==

==Opinion polling==  

==Opinion polling==  

A big concern in the Hillary Clinton camp is whether or not she is electable.  An Electability Poll in which the participants are asked in no certain order, a list of candidates from both parties, whether they would vote for candidate X or prefer someone else.  Recent polling has revealed, of all major presidential candidates from both parties, Hillary Clinton is the only candidate to whom a majority of 52% would not vote for, or would prefer someone else. <ref>[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/28/248165.aspx Poll: Is Hillary Electable?], by Mark Murray, ''NBC News'', June 28, 2007.  Retrieved from MSNBC.com June 29, 2007.</ref>   

A big concern in the Hillary Clinton camp is whether or not she is electable.  An Electability Poll in which the participants are asked in no certain order, a list of candidates from both parties, whether they would vote for candidate X or prefer someone else.  Recent polling has revealed, of all major presidential candidates from both parties, Hillary Clinton is the only candidate to whom a majority of 52% would not vote for, or would prefer someone else. <ref>[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/28/248165.aspx Poll: Is Hillary Electable?], by Mark Murray, ''NBC News'', June 28, 2007.  Retrieved from MSNBC.com June 29, 2007.</ref>