PROBABLY NOT RUNNING BUT COULD RUN IN 2012
We’ve gone over the certainly running (Pawlenty, Romney, Palin and Paul), the probably running but may not (Barbour, Thune, Gingrich and Giuliani) so now we turn to the probably not running for President but might do so.
Here’s where I place former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee. He is a cult icon for evangelicals but he also has this TV show that he seems to genuinely have fun with (and has high ratings). There is this interesting site that makes me wonder. I think unless he has polling numbers and fundraising potential showing a real chance, he’ll not walk away from a sure thing. I wish he’d run in 201o against Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
Former PA Senator Rick Santorum is apparently testing the waters in Iowa. I agree with most of Santorum’s views. It’s a shame that the people of PA put him out. However, I think he’ll not have staying power. I can’t see him being more than a fringe candidate.
Former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush is a great candidate – if his name was not Bush. But he has some support. He may be a future candidate, if the American people decide by 2016 or 2020 then Jeb Bush might be a winner. But not now. Maybe George P. Bush after two terms as Governor of Florida in say 2032!
Congressman Eric Cantor (who is my congressman) would be a formidible candidate except, he’d have to give up what may be an apparent goal of being Speaker of the House. I do not think Virginia allows multiple candidacies at the same time.
Want an experienced candidate? How does former Secretary of the Interior (under Bush 43), Mayor of major city (Boise, Idaho), Senator and Governor sound? Try Dirk Kempthorne. He’s from Idaho and I like the Mountain West (Go Boise State – bust the BCS cartel!) area. Thanks again to GOP 12 for this lead. Mark Ambinder at Atlantic has a very good assessment on Sec. Kempthorne. Here’s a highlight:
Kempthorne, who served as President Bush’s final Secretary of the Interior, is widely known to environmental advocates as a dedicated opponent of regulation and of the Endangered Species Act. His tenture at Interior was pockmarked by scandals — all gifts from his predecessors. But he was also a fan of the National Park System and convinced the administration to prioritize its expansion. In his farewell address, he took credit for tough new ethics rules. During his one term as a senator, his bill to quash unfunded federal mandates for local governments is now law. Californians and Oregonians credit him for breaking the longstanding impasse over damming the Klamath River. In Idaho, he took the sleepy and rundown city of Boise and rebuilt it. But his public profile is no higher than that although the American Indian community presumably knows him well from his Interior service. Kempthorne began his political career as a consultant and campaign manager. He’s a fiscal and social conservative with no deviations from the orthodoxy. As a former chairman of the National Governors’ Association and because of his dealings with oil, coal and natural resource enterprises, he could probably raise enough seed money to get started.
That’s not bad except his base is small. Idaho has only four electoral votes. If Kempthorne could pull together an idea that was banded about – that the Mountain West would have their primary on the same day – that might increase his base. Kempthorne could be a good addition to a 2012 ticket from the East or South.
More not likelies in my next blog entry! I promise I will get to Mitch Daniels! Amd Jindal!
