Right now we have four current senators—Ted Cruz (Texas), Rand Paul (Kentucky), Marco Rubio (Florida), and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)—along with one former senator, Rick Santorum (Pennsylvania). Next, we have five sitting governors—Chris Christie (New Jersey), Bobby Jindal (Louisiana), John Kasich (Ohio), Rick Snyder (Michigan), and Scott Walker (Wisconsin)—and five former governors, Jeb Bush (Florida), Jim Gilmore (Virginia), Mike Huckabee (Arkansas), George Pataki (New York), and Rick Perry (Texas). Rounding out the list are a former pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Ben Carson; a former Hewlett-Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina; and a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton. That makes 18—at least half of whom could have a meaningful impact on the race.
Cook opines the overwhelming turnout indicates a bunch of politically savvy folk think Ms. Hillary is far-from-invincible. I concur.
Among the 18, whom do I take seriously? Rubio and Graham among the senators, Kasich and Walker among the governors, Bush, Perry and Huckabee among the former governors. As Cook notes, some are probably angling for (or would happily settle for) the VP nomination or a cabinet post.
