By Jonathan Easley - 03-21-15 15:35 PM EDT
Get ready for the largest GOP presidential field in recent history.
As many as 20 Republicans are taking a serious look at running for the White House in 2016. A handful of candidates have moved aggressively into the field, and others are expected to ramp up in the coming weeks, with several announcements expected in April.
Recent races haven’t attracted such a large and unsettled field before, and time is sure to winnow the contenders before the first debate in August 2015.
In 2011, as many as nine Republicans participated in one early debate. The field of declared candidates in that cycle was never greater than 10 at any one time.
Here are the 20 Republicans likely to make a run for the GOP nomination.
Jeb Bush: The former Florida governor is all but running, with recent trips to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in the books. The establishment frontrunner has been building a political team and vacuuming up support from major donors.
Scott Walker: The Wisconsin governor has been aggressive on the attack in the early stages, and his burgeoning campaign appears well-positioned to compete for the long-haul.
Rand Paul: The Kentucky senator is likely to announce his presidential campaign on April 7. The libertarian favorite has been crafting a campaign focused heavily on technology, while test-driving a message aimed at young voters and minorities.
Marco Rubio: With buzz growing in conservative circles, the Florida senator has put together a top-flight political team made up of 2012 Mitt Romney alums, and may have landed a billionaire backer.
Chris Christie: It’s been a rough first few months for the New Jersey governor but he’s returned to his wheelhouse — the town-hall meetings where shines. It could help him regain stride, and Republicans say his political skills should not be underestimated.
Ben Carson: The retired neurosurgeon and grassroots conservative favorite is within striking distance of the frontrunners in most polls, but verbal gaffes still trip him up.
Mike Huckabee: The former Arkansas governor left a comfortable gig at Fox News to explore another presidential run and is expected to pull heavily from the same base of evangelical voters as he did in 2008.
Ted Cruz: The Texas senator has been supplementing his trips to the early states with mainstream media engagements, where he continues to relish the role of conservative agitator.
Rick Perry: With nothing to lose after his 2012 flop, the former Texas governor now seems like a happy warrior on the trail. He’ll likely be more formidable this time with a solid donor base and a sharper message focused on foreign policy.
Lindsey Graham: The South Carolina senator has impressed crowds in early-voting states with his candor, ease and confidence. The early focus on foreign policy is in his wheelhouse, but he still isn’t near the top tier.
John Kasich: The Ohio governor is popular in conservative circles and brings added heft from a critical battleground state. This week, conservative writer George Will wrote a column encouraging Kasich to jump in, saying he would add “spirit” and “spice.”
Bobby Jindal: The Louisiana governor is doing everything he can to keep his name in the race, burnishing a reputation as a social conservative firebrand and policy wonk in speeches across the country.
Rick Santorum: The former Pennsylvania senator and 2012 runner-up’s moment appears to have come and gone. At the Iowa Ag Summit earlier this month, he seemed surprised by the small group of reporters he attracted.
Carly Fiorina: The former Hewlett Packard CEO has moved early and aggressively into the presidential field. As the only woman candidate, she adds diversity to the field, and the wealthy businesswoman could self-fund a campaign for as long as she wants.
John Bolton: The former UN ambassador’s bid would largely be predicated on his hawkish foreign policy bona fides. He’s the only potential candidate that supports gay marriage, which could endear him to a select group of wealthy GOP donors.
Peter King: The New York congressman has said he wants to make sure that his nemeses in the Senate — Paul and Cruz — don’t control the discourse.
George Pataki: The former New York governor has been travelling to early voting states. Like Christie, Pataki has trumpeted his record as a Republican governor in a blue state.
Jim Gilmore: The former Virginia governor says he’s seriously considering another presidential run, but it’s hard to see his place in the field. Gilmore briefly ran for president in 2008, but dropped out early. Later that year he was crushed by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in the race for Senate.
Bob Ehrlich: The former Maryland governor has been to New Hampshire a handful of times this year and has quietly met with donors and party leaders to gauge support for a potential bid.
Mark Everson: The former IRS commissioner became the first Republican presidential candidate to officially enter the field earlier this month, releasing a four-and-a-half minute long video and 16-page document vowing to turn the country around. But virtually no one knows who he is. http://www.markforamerica.com/
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