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Obama's declining popularity]] across all voter demographics has stirred talk he may face a primary challenge. [[Liberal]] [[Mike Bloomberg]] might run as an independent, splitting votes with [[Obama]].

Obama's declining popularity]] across all voter demographics has stirred talk he may face a primary challenge. [[Liberal]] [[Mike Bloomberg]] might run as an independent, splitting votes with [[Obama]].

The '''Presidential Election 2012''' features "[[stalking horse]]" candidates in the primary, just as McCain backers used [[Fred Thompson]] in 2008 to prevent [[Mitt Romney]] from winning.  Thompson obtained undeserved endorsements from national pro-life groups plus promotion on the [[Fox News Channel]], and thereby siphoned off [[pro-life]]rs and other [[conservative]]s from Romney.  Then Thompson withdrew and endorsed McCain.  Stalking horses for Newt Gingrich in 2012 are expected to be Mike Huckabee and possibly Sarah Palin.  ''But the longer that Sarah Palin remains a candidate, the more difficult it becomes for Newt to gain socially conservative support to defeat Mitt''.

The '''Presidential Election 2012''' features "[[stalking horse]]" candidates in the primary, just as McCain backers used [[Fred Thompson]] in 2008 to prevent [[Mitt Romney]] from winning.  Thompson obtained undeserved endorsements from national pro-life groups plus promotion on the [[Fox News Channel]], and thereby siphoned off [[pro-life]]rs and other [[conservative]]s from Romney.  Then Thompson withdrew and endorsed McCain.  Stalking horses for Newt Gingrich in 2012 are expected to be Mike Huckabee and possibly Sarah Palin.  ''But the longer that Sarah Palin remains a candidate, the more difficult it becomes for Newt to gain socially conservative support to defeat Mitt''.  Stalking horses for Mitt Romney are likely Rick Santorum and Chris Christie.

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== Ranking of Potential Republican Candidates by Likelihood of Winning Nomination ==

== Ranking of Potential Republican Candidates by Likelihood of Winning Nomination ==