The field of GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential primaries is still nebulous. Sen. John Thune this week announced his decision against running, but a host of other potential candidates have hemmed and hawed.
U.S. News blogger Robert Schlesinger points out that Rep. Michele Bachmann came awfully close to declaring a run in a speech to a Republican group in South Carolina, but he doesn’t think she can win. “The only president who came from the U.S. House was James Garfield,” he writes. “And her special wacky brand of politics also makes her unelectable.” [See a slide show of 10 GOP frontrunners for 2012.]
Our Washington Whispers column reports that Fox News contributor Frank Luntz asked 26 Iowan Republicans who they favored for 2012, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came out on top. Filling out the favorites behind Gingrich were (in order): former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Bachmann, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
In Washington, D.C., the Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll this month picked unlikely nominee Texas Rep. Ron Paul for the second year in a row, but many say second place winner and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is a better bet to face President Obama for the top spot in the White House.
What do you think? Who is your pick for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination? Take our poll and post your thoughts below.
Previously: Is Obama handling the Libya crisis the right way?
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cj of OH 9:59PM April 18, 2012
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