And then there were three more: Ben, Carly and Mike
Dr. Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Mike Huckabee enter the presidential race.
Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Mike Huckabee all will be announcing that they are running for President.
Carson made his announcement Sunday, perhaps with a slip of the tongue. His official announcement is today via YouTube.
Fiorina also announced this morning on Good Morning America:
ABC Breaking US News | US News Videos
Huckabee also should announce tomorrow.
The issue of the three in the race was discussed on Fox News Sunday (starting at 4:55 in the video)
So what does it mean? Here’s my initial take.
Ben Carson is running on a “Heal Inspire Revive” theme, a very spiritual approach. He is a great guy, but will have to overcome perceptions that he is not a viable candidate. When I saw his speech at Cornell, he certainly was impressive. There is a huge desire on behalf of many to want him to be better prepared for a national campaign, so if he surprises maybe he’ll have upside. But I’m not expecting it, as he will have a hard time expanding beyond his already sizable group of core supporters.
Huckabee is someone I’ve never understood as a candidate. He’s a very good speaker, unusually good, but I’m not sure how far that gets you in 2016. He will appeal to evangelicals, but I’m not sure he has broad appeal outside that base. He’s also such a known figure, I think it’s hard for him to have a lot of upside potential. But I don’t underestimate his political gift at all.
(video added)
Fiorina is someone I previously stated I thought was running for Vice President (same feeling about Bobby Jindal) whether she knows it or not. Her approach to the campaign is more business-like. She has over-performed on the stump, mostly by going straight at Hillary. She has the experience of running for office in California, and while she lost to Barbara Boxer and it wasn’t a national race, it still would be valuable. She’ll have to defend her record at HP — but all candidates have to defend their records. There is just an intangible about her that gives me the sense that she has a lot of upside potential. The question is whether that upside may be filling the role traditionally played by a V.P. candidate of being the one to take it to the Democratic Presidential nominee. As the foil to Hillary, the stars may be in alignment.
(video added)
With the GOP candidate crowd expanding, will we have a dozen or more people on stage for the first debates in the fall?
I hope not. But getting on stage and getting national air time may be what the three people who are announcing this week need.
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Comments
Don’t expect the MSM/Dem narrative of the GOP being the party of old, white guys to be silenced by that picture.
You mean letting facts get in the way of a good story?
Last time Ron Paul consistently attracted a vocal and energetic minority of libertarians. If Rand inherits that group he may do well in this amazingly divided field.
Why in the world does Mike Huckabee continue to run? Does he have that much money to blow every four years? There are so many other viable alternative options, I could not see myself voting for him ever, along with the Jebster.
To reinforce his popularity with the religious right, and increase his leverage for a higher paycheck from Fox on his next show after his candidacy withers away.
Good people, all, but if we get too many conservatives in the race, the moderates will all go for Jeb and Jeb wins. Defeats the purpose.
All good nominees, though weak in key areas, IMHO. (As you know if you’ve seen my posts, I’m solidly in the Ted Cruz for President camp.)
Clue to the clueless GOP/RNC – START SLAMMING THE DEMOCRATS ON THEIR LACK OF PRIMARY CANDIDATE DIVERSITY!!! The GOP primary candidates so far include a woman, two Latino-descent males, one African American (with a golden, great Cinderella-American-Dream success story), and two white males (more expected, of course – including the Hillary-clone-in-a-man’s-pantsuit, RINO tool Jeb Bush).
Most of them are young, but heavy on real-life experience, not just DC or GOP political machine hackery. Many were/are governors, but most just have life-achievement-packed resumes that give them more than enough “executive” experience – well beyond any DC insider, so-called “executive” political credibility.
The Dem line-up so far: an old white female who has NEVER worked in the private sector (save perhaps her lawyer days in Arkansas – can you say Whitewater?!), a white male socialist (again old), with O’Malley of MD prepping his announcement. Blinding whiteness – just like MSNBC!
The Dem left LOVES to throw “diversity” at the masses via the MSM.
Time to make them eat it – cram THAT reality, THAT diversity, down their throats for lunch!
And DO NOT depend on the MSM to do it for you – they WON’T. Not even Fox News.
Is Jeb Bush still your RINO “it’s his turn” guy, even though he hasn’t announced yet? Will you attempt to take down the Democrat/leftist narrative they’ve successfully used in the LAST TWO ELECTIONS to take down the GOP?!
It’s up to YOU – the GOP/RNC (along the candidates themselves) – to get that message out there, make the people SEE IT and HEAR ABOUT IT…… It’s always HAS ALWAYS BEEN the Democrat Party who says they promote/love/encourage minorities, diversity, etc. but NEVER live it!!! Promote and TEACH the TRUE HISTORY of the Republican Party and the failed, hate-filled history of the Democrat Party in your messaging!! People NEED A COUNTER TO THE LEFTIST/DEM PROPAGANDA AND NARRATIVE MACHINE!
Are you in it to win it, GOP/RNC, or to throw in with the Dems and RINOs again?! What say you?!
(Make that three white males, so far: Huck, Rand, and Walker. An “edit” feature would REALLY be great….. 🙂 )
Jeb Bush and some others aren’t officially running yet for legal reasons.
Till they officially announce, they can co-ordinate with their unlimited constributions PAC.
I was really hoping Huckleberry would spare us another presidential run.
As a life long Arkansas Republican I can honestly say that I am so glad that Huckabee moved to Florida. He has no chance of ever being President and most likely couldn’t win Arkansas. He is just in the race to pull votes away from non-establishment approved candidates.
When People say; “Run, Huck, Run!” the are speaking literally because they want him to go away, not run for President.