United States presidential election, 2012

The next presidential debate is on Sept. 22, 2011, in Florida.

The Presidential Election 2012 is on Tuesday, November 6, when the United States elects a president. Obama, with his declining popularity, is unlikely to win reelection unless he can carry Florida, which he only narrowly won last time.

For the Republican nomination, the leaders are Mitt Romney (likely to win New Hampshire), Michele Bachmann (likely to win Iowa), and Rick Perry (likely to win the South). Neither seem to have broad enough support to win the nomination. Ron Paul has a solid base of about 10% and his ideas are being adopted by other candidates. Additional candidates (perhaps Jeb Bush?) are possible.

Ranking of Potential Republican Candidates by Likelihood of Winning Nomination

Candidate	Pros	Cons	Trending ...
Mitt Romney	First runner-up in 2008, business experience, Republican governor of a Democratic state, cut taxes and the deficit, prodigious fundraiser and tireless campaigner, polling at 40% in the key early primary state of New Hampshire, credited for helping Scott Brown win an upset victory for the seat long held by Ted Kennedy. Likely to be endorsed by Chris Christie, Marsha Blackburn, Jim Talent, etc. Only 26% of voters said they would never vote for him, which is the lowest negative of any major Republican candidate. Out with a new jobs plan.	Refuses to sign the same pro-life pledge that all other major Republican candidates signed; continues to believe in liberal propaganda claiming global warming; Romney once supported abortion and civil unions, criticized by the Tea Party Express chairwoman and others due to his ObamaCare-like health plan in Massachusetts, which featured "the mandate" and taxpayer-funded abortion; struggles in Iowa and won only 15% in the South Carolina primary in 2008.	Doubts are growing that someone as weak as Romney on pro-life can win the nomination. He is losing ground despite winning his first debate, and finished only 5th in the straw poll at the Republican Leadership Conference; disappointed pro-lifers by failing to take a pro-life pledge
Michele Bachmann	A movement conservative who "knocked the ball out of the park" with her nationally televised response to Obama's State of the Union address in January 2011, Bachmann is popular with the Tea Party movement; she is a strong fundraiser and won a stunning 52-40% landslide in 2010 in a liberal-leaning district in Minnesota. Did very well at CPAC in Feb. 2011. Bachmann's beliefs are similar to Ron Paul's, but she is more of a conservative than libertarian, and is trying to appeal to Ron Paul's fanbase, thus a Bachmann candidacy could unite Tea Party conservatives.	As with Ronald Reagan, liberal bias is at its worst against her; has never won statewide office; Ron Paul did not support her for a House leadership position and did not join her Tea Party caucus.	Did extremely well in the first debate and jumped to #1 in Zogby poll of primary voters; took a sterner approach in the second and third debates, perhaps to appeal more to angry voters currently supporting Ron Paul. Won the Ames Straw Poll but was upstaged by Rick Perry's declaration of candidacy on the same day. Has slipped in the polls since Perry's entrance.
Ron Paul	Won the CPAC poll, terrific on economic issues, is strong in national polls, can raise the money needed to win; people may look to an anti-war Republican; appeals to many social liberals.	Voted twice to repeal DADT, which the vast majority of Republican primary voters support; opposed Bachmann for a leadership position; his age (76 in 2012) will be used against him; has never won statewide office; his views on the war on drugs and the military also alienates many Republicans.	Improving as Obama's support is lowest when Paul is his opponent; Paul is gaining ground as economy crumbles. Was the clear crowd favorite in the Iowa debate on Aug. 10. Finished only 1% behind Michele Bachmann in the Ames straw poll; together with her the two of them won more than half the votes. In an online poll, Paul easily won the MSNBC-sponsored candidates' debate at the Reagan Library on September 7.
Rick Perry	Ranking improved on June 9 because Newt's campaign leadership quit. Perry formally announced his candidacy on August 13. He is a conservative-talking governor who has run Texas for a decade (since George W. Bush became president); crushed RINO Kay Bailey Hutchison in the 2010 primary and then won a landslide in the general election against a popular opponent, carrying others to victory on his strong coattails; has an excellent jobs record in his State and which he can contrast with liberal-run states like California, Nevada, Illinois, and New York. Strong religious faith that he is not afraid to show by attending prayer-ins that are mocked by east coast liberals. Understands the concept of states' rights.	It can be argued is more conservative in his rhetoric than his policies; endorsed RINO Rudy Giuliani in 2008; tried by executive order to force all schoolgirls (except for parental opt-outs) to receive the HPV vaccine; raised business taxes while governor; supports exceptions for allowing abortion; and continues to champion a Texas policy that allows in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Could simply block Mitt Romney from winning the nomination, without winning it himself.	Stumbled in his first major statements on abortion and same-sex marriage, and then lost the support of some voters by declaring that he is opposed to building a fence to reduce illegal immigration. Did not participate in the Iowa debate or Straw Poll. May be focusing on a southern strategy that is unlikely to give him the majority of delegates needed to win. Did well in the first debate that he participated in, but seemed off-balance during his second debate (in Florida), prompting doubts among some viewers.
Herman Cain	Former successful Godfathers Pizza CEO, conservative radio host, Tea Party favorite, tremendous speaker, triumphed over a health problem, is making himself known.	Not well known outside the conservative sphere of influence, although he is getting there.	Maintaining his ranking
Newt Gingrich	Articulate, credited with 1994 landslide, balanced the federal budget in the Clinton era, leader in fundraising, likely to obtain endorsement of older "right to life" groups against Mitt; has one-sided promotion by the Fox News Channel and the WSJ, who will likely criticize his opponent Mitt Romney; Gingrich's record of passing conservative legislation as Speaker of the House is remarkably strong, including welfare reform, DOMA, the Solomon Amendment, and even term limits. He also had the courage to shut down the government.	Unable to gain much support despite having shown flashes of the old Newt in several debates. Gingrich has previously endorsed liberal ideas like "cap-and-trade" (global warming hoax) and a Con Con; resigned as Speaker rather than follow through with the impeachment of Bill Clinton; divorced twice and married three times, most recently to a women 23 years younger than he; has never won statewide office. Sarah Palin is suggesting that she may not pull out and this could prevent Newt from defeating Mitt. Since 9/11, Newt has come to adopt more big-government and pro-regulatory neoconservative views, unlike the push for limited-government and deregulation he spearheaded during the 1990s.	Lost ground when his senior staff jumped ship on June 9th.
Sarah Palin	Empathetic, attracts crowds, personally pro-life, fiscal conservative, popular, track record of supporting upset victories in primaries; had a popular television series and book tour that emphasizes the grassroots rather than the "inside the Beltway" mentality.	It's difficult to take seriously someone who relies so heavily on Facebook; even liberal Hollywood preferred The King's Speech at the Oscars. Her taxation policies were somewhat liberal. Appointed a former Planned Parenthood board member to the Alaska Supreme Court and inexplicably resigned early as governor; lags in fundraising despite publicity, came in a disappointing fifth in the Values Voter Summit in September 2010 and fared badly at CPAC. Several of her prominent 2010 candidates (Ken Buck, Joe Miller, Christine O'Donnell) struck out on Nov. 2nd, and many Republicans from George W. Bush (allegedly) to Peggy Noonan have been critical of her running for president. 58% of American voters in a May poll said they would never vote for her.. Frequently mocked and subjected to personal attacks from the liberal media.	Disappearing below the memoirs of her infamous daughter
Rick Santorum	Outspoken supporter of conservative values as a senator, well-received by Iowan evangelicals at campaign-like event in March 2010, strongly socially conservative.	His all-out support of RINO and now-Democrat Arlen Specter prevented Pat Toomey from defeating him in 2002, although he has regretted it at CPAC 2010; could simply be a stalking horse for Romney, who he endorsed in 2008.	Was fabulous in the Iowa debate August 10th, and has won praise for his performance in more recent debates, but has been unable to climb in the polls
Jon Huntsman, Jr.	Has foreign policy and executive experience. Appealing to moderates, although this is because he holds numerous liberal stances.	Worked in the Obama administration; Criticized the economic stimulus package as not being big enough, favors Comprehensive Immigration Reform, supports civil unions, and is a believer in man-made global warming; the "civility" candidate adored by the media for being more willing to attack his fellow Republicans than the Democrats; could simply be a Utah decoy used by Team Newt to siphon support from Mitt Romney	Not getting much support, except among the media and multiple Democrats
Chris Christie	Leads Barack Obama in Zogby's polling (January 2011), takes on the public school teachers' unions and is a fiscal reformer who puts liberals in their place, has an unscripted style and appearance that is a refreshing alternative to the Teleprompter President.	Significantly overweight, Picked a pro-abortion running mate when he ran for governor, and has little experience with national issues; repeatedly says he is not running; campaigned for RINO Mike Castle in Delaware who was then defeated; neither added New Jersey to one of the lawsuits against ObamaCare nor joined an amicus brief against it; will probably support Mitt Romney.	Attaining budget cuts, particularly to Planned Parenthood, Christie has become the leading contender for Vice President
Marco Rubio	A movement conservative who could unite the Party, he is the most charismatic speaker in politics today; in the general election he would pull Florida and many Hispanic voters away from the Democrats. Both of his parents were Cuban exiles seeking asylum in the U.S. at the time of his birth in Miami, making him an inspiring, uniquely American success story.	Could face the liberal double standard on two fronts: 1) what's OK for Obama (e.g., inexperience) is somehow not OK for a conservative. 2) Liberals who have been deriding the strict definition of "natural born citizen" which some conservatives have been applying to Obama might also turn around and use the same logic with Rubio, claiming that his non-citizen parents invalidate his natural-born status. Some Republican voters may think he's really running to be selected as Vice President.	Probably running for VP
Thad McCotter	Congressman from Michigan who is conservative and being promoted by Fox News, and does not need to read from a teleprompter to give a speech.	Thad who? Not enough people know who he is yet. Twice this year voted against ending the preference for union labor in government construction projects. Could be seeking name recognition rather than the Republican nomination.	Increasing in support but slowly. Finished last in the Iowa Straw Poll.
Allen West	'America First' conservative patriot, Lt. Col West knows leadership from experience. He won the Florida U.S. House of Representatives seat in the 2010 Midterm Elections, and kept a high profile ever since. Sports a crew cut, rises above petty inside the Beltway bickering, and carries a camouflage bag rather than a briefcase	New to national politics, not well known and maybe a future presidential candidate beyond 2012.	A terrific congressman
Ken Cuccinelli	Has won statewide office. Leader in challenging ObamaCare, advancing pro-life principles, and opposing the global warming hoax, including investigating Liberal University of Virginia's involvement in the Climategate scandal. Wants to stop the homosexual agenda prevalent at the University of Virginia and other Virginia universities.	Only 42 years old, he'll probably become governor of Virginia before running for president. Not as frequent a speaker at Tea Party events as others, such as Steve King and Michele Bachmann. Also, Cuccinelli may be more influential on domestic policy in his current position than a president is.	Busy achieving good things in his current job
Bobby Jindal	Conservative Governor of Louisiana, strong critic of Obama's handling of the Gulf oil spill in the summer of 2010.	Says he's not running for president.	Made a good statement on birth certificate issue
Steve King	A conservative Iowa congressman who could win the Iowa caucuses; resonates well with independents; recommended by Bachmann	Not well known yet; has never won statewide office.	Likely to endorse Michele Bachmann, and stay in the House
Todd Akin	A movement conservative from Missouri, which he serves as a congressman	Running to win a U.S. Senate seat from a liberal instead	Gaining in ability to defeat an incumbent liberal senator
Bob McDonnell	Won landslide election as Virginia governor; has Obama's height	Not widely known yet, but gave Republican response to State of the Union; seemed more conservative as a candidate than as governor	Falling into obscurity
Gary Johnson	Former libertarian two-term governor of New Mexico, he has been recommended by Ron Paul, Johnson is a strong advocate of a libertarian belief system.	Like other libertarians but unlike most Republicans, Johnson favors legalizing marijuana, expanding legal immigration and allowing same-sex unions. Given Ron Paul's run, there seems to be little support for Gary Johnson in this election cycle.	Cannot get much support with Ron Paul in the same race
Rudy Giuliani	Widely respected for his post-9/11 leadership in New York City	Struck out completely as a candidate in 2008; very weak on important social issues; cross-dressing for comedic purposes when it suited him	A throwback to an era and issues that matter less now
Fred Thompson	Former Republican Senator from Tennessee, former presidential candidate, has a loyal following	Hollywood type, sided with McCain in campaign finance laws that the Supreme Court overturned.
Scott Brown	Proven ability to appeal to moderate voters even in a blue state	Inexperience; already voting with the Democrats in the Senate; voted to repeal DADT, will not repeal Obamacare.
Jan Brewer	In 2010, stood up to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on issue of illegal aliens	Caved in to the liberals in vetoing legislation requiring a birth certificate to get on the presidential ballot for Arizona in 2012; if Brewer ever was conservative, she seems increasingly less so	Not even conservatives support her after all her vetoes of good bills this year
Peter King	Conservative congressman from New York that supports Pro-life, energy independence, free trade, expand border fence, battles Muslim extremists in the USA by Homeland Security position.	Fiscal conservatism lacking: voted for TARP, Cash for Clunkers, CHIP

The Chess Game for the Republican Party

Short form

The short form analysis is this: it probably requires a minimum of $25 million in campaign funds to win the nomination, and more if the candidate lacks a strong conservative base. Many of the candidates are probably looking to big fundraisers for support, but they are unsure of whom to back. Karl Rove, with all of his contacts from the Bush years, may be able to raise $20 million for a candidate; Haley Barbour might be able to raise even more. Fox News and its allies can raise eight figures also, as they helped reelect John McCain as senator in 2010.

The fundraising obstacle is no problem for Mitt Romney. Michelle Bachmann could reach that goal also, and benefits from having a strong conservative base too. Ron Paul could sustain his campaign as he did in 2008, relying heavily on the internet. But others lacking in a strong base will struggle unless they can obtain the support of either the Bush/Rove group, or Barbour's network, or Fox News and its allies.

Long form

Ron Paul.

There are three key steps to the Republican nomination: Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Mitt can win only one out of the three (New Hampshire), leaving an opening for another candidate to win the other two.

There are four basic components of the Republican Party. To win the nomination, a candidate needs to obtain the support of at least two out of four:

1. social conservatives (pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-Republican Party platform)
2. libertarians (lower taxes, less government, pro-market, anti-union)
3. religious voters (Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons)
4. neoconservatives (foreign intervention, "better" government)

In 2008, John McCain won the nomination by capturing the support of 1 and 4 above. Ron Paul had the support of 2. Mitt Romney enjoyed support by 2 and part of 3. Mike Huckabee had support of 1 and part of 3. The division of 3 by Romney and Huckabee caused them to block each other: Huckabee blocked Romney in Iowa, and Romney returned the favor in New Hampshire. This dynamic prevented either from winning the nomination.

In 2000, George Bush won with the support of 1 and 3. But John McCain enjoyed the support from 2 and 4 and this enabled him to win the New Hampshire and Michigan primaries, giving Bush a close contest. Some felt McCain mishandled his victory in Michigan.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan had the support of 1 and 2.

Potential Democratic Candidates

McClatchy-Marist survey after the 2010 Midterm elections revealed 46% of Democrats and Democratic leaning independent voters said they don't want President Obama to face a Democratic primary challenge, with 45% saying they do want such a challenge to occur. 40% of Democrats and independents who lean towards the Democrats say they prefer a more conservative challenger, while 39% say they want a challenger who is more liberal. The Marist poll says,

“

Interestingly, a plurality of Democrats – 42 percent – would like to see a more liberal challenger while half of Democratic leaning independents – 50 percent – would like to see a more conservative one.

”

The McClatchy-Marist poll indicates that 48 percent of registered voters nationwide plan to vote against the president in 2012, with 36 percent saying they'll vote to re-elect Obama.

A Quinnipiac University survey released after the 2010 Midterm elections indicated that a plurality of Americans don't think Obama deserves to be re-elected to a second term, and an Associated Press-GfK survey in the same time span indicates that 54% believe Obama should be voted out of office in 2012. Former DNC chairman Ed Rendell suggested on MSNBC, liberal anger over Obama's escalation of the war in Afghanistan could lead to a primary challenge.

The New York Times reported many liberals are so upset over recommendations by the Deficit Reduction Commission which President Obama himself created after the Democratic controlled Congress voted the idea down, "if Mr. Obama were to embrace its major parts, he would invite a primary challenge in 2012." Clarence B. Jones, who was a personal advisor, legal counsel, and close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has called for a primary challenge to President Obama.

Also Obama's Libyan intervention has raised the ire of many prominent leftists who question the wisdom and legality of the president's actions.

Candidate	Pros	Cons	MSNBC exposure
Barack Obama	Ability to compromise and act in a spirit of bi-partisanship when his back's against the wall and career on the line; he's not Hillary Clinton, and he receives endearing support from the media.	He depends on a teleprompter to speak, and has run the nation into the ground. Numerous broken and unfulfilled campaign promises, implementation of socialist Obamacare program. Maybe uphill without help from ACORN.	Heavily promoted on MSNBC.
Hillary Clinton	Her criticism of Obama's massive deficits hinted at a possible run against him in 2012, and Ted Kennedy cannot interfere with her nomination this time; moreover, waiting until 2016 is unattractive because she will be 71 then. She has the highest approval ratings of any potential challenger. Tested the waters with Bill backing a challenger to Obama's Colorado Senate candidate (who then lost), and by Hillary saying she won't serve a second term as Obama's Secretary of State. The chances of Hillary running and winning the nomination increase with every decline in Obama's approval ratings.	Her feminism is not wanted and she'd lose the general election as Martha Coakley did.	Disfavored on MSNBC.
Russ Feingold	His dedication to progressive causes rivals that of Obama, Feingold now has the time to run since his defeat in the 2010 midterms.	Considered a maverick and reformer within the Democratic party.	Disfavored on MSNBC.
Howard Dean	Liberal media personality, politician with physicians license and a former Vermont governor. Opposed Obamacare in its current form, and declared that government cannot force people to buy health insurance.	Progressive/Socialist/Marxist philosophy combined with numerous public gaffes. Dean ran in the 2004 presidential elections.	Heavily promoted on MSNBC.

Independent Candidacy by Mike Bloomberg

The man who spent $185 per vote to garner 51% of the vote to remain as Mayor of New York City in 2009, Mike Bloomberg, is increasingly looking like an independent, self-funded candidate for president in 2012.

$185 per vote times 50 million voters equals $9.25 billion, which he can easily afford as one of the richest men in the world. The catch is that 50 million Americans are not as likely to be persuaded by self-funded campaign ads as 51% of New Yorkers were. Also, it is possible that money is becoming less influential in campaigns, not more so. The most likely result from a Bloomberg candidacy would be a split in the pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda vote with the Democratic nominee, facilitating election of the Republican nominee.

See also

• Gubernatorial elections, 2010