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Martin O'Malley: I believe O'Malley is the only person who could run close to her. I do not believe he could defeat her, but he could at least make the Democratic side at least somewhat competitive.
Jim Webb: I have read about a number of Democrats who like him. I just do not see what he brings. Most people like his anti-war stance but he is rather conservative/moderate on gun issues, environment, and I think the main reason he will never gain traction is his piece "Women Can't Fight."
Bernie Sanders: He will be simply pushing for populist, left issues that are not mainstream. He will be the Ron Paul of the left, because he will be the fringe candidate who will not be winning primary states.
Lincoln Chafee: He will run to raise his profile and bring up anti-war views. He will likely be out right after the Iowa Caucuses, if not before.
Are there any candidates I am missing?
Part 2, who should challenge her--
Kirsten Gillibrand: I think she may be pretty thin on experience, but she will fill many voids that Hillary would fill (without the name fatigue, baggage, and dynastic concerns). She will very likely be a candidate in the future. She is too loyal to Hillary to run in '16.
Brian Schweitzer: He would be a more legitimate version of Jim Webb. Webb was only a one-term senator, while Schweitzer was a popular governor from the West. He has a populist sense to him, but his downside would be his right-of-center views on environmental issues/oil issues. He would be an interesting candidate, but he has given no indication towards running.
Andrew Cuomo: He would only run if Hillary's campaign starts to die. He still would have baggage, being too moderate and so on.
It would be interesting to see a Democratic moderate make the race, Joe Manchin and Joe Lieberman are among the most prominent.
Both of those guys could easily bring Republicans and Independents across in "open primary" states and could challenge better than a lot of people might think.
It would be interesting to see a Democratic moderate make the race, Joe Manchin and Joe Lieberman are among the most prominent.
Both of those guys could easily bring Republicans and Independents across in "open primary" states and could challenge better than a lot of people might think.
It would be interesting to see a Democratic moderate make the race, Joe Manchin and Joe Lieberman are among the most prominent.
Both of those guys could easily bring Republicans and Independents across in "open primary" states and could challenge better than a lot of people might think.
Check J. Lieberman's age. I think he is too old. I doubt anyone will give her any serious competition. E. Warren would be the most likely but she seems to have no interest. How about Jim Webb?
I think it's close to the point where Democrats are destined to live or die with Hillary. Eighteen months to go, and nobody will be able to compete with the Clintons' fund raising prowess in that amount of time.
Maybe Webb, OMalley, or Bernie will get in just in case someone comes up with audio of Hillary ordering the doctoring of the Benghazi talking points. But in that unlikely event, voters will be so turned off that the GOP nominee will be a shoo-in anyway, so it becomes moot.
I think it's close to the point where Democrats are destined to live or die with Hillary. Eighteen months to go, and nobody will be able to compete with the Clintons' fund raising prowess in that amount of time.
Maybe Webb, OMalley, or Bernie will get in just in case someone comes up with audio of Hillary ordering the doctoring of the Benghazi talking points. But in that unlikely event, voters will be so turned off that the GOP nominee will be a shoo-in anyway, so it becomes moot.
Not at all. We are still 20 months away from election day. That's a ridiculously long time to go. Candidates who enter the race this summer still have plenty of time.
If anything those who enter early are taking a big risk. The voters may tire of them, there's a lot of time for skeletons to fall out of closets, and time for more unfortunate incident to occur.
Those who have yet to jump in the race are just being more cautious, or are still laying their groundwork. Those who have declared have already gotten their financial support lined up, and are following different strategies than this who are holding back.
The thing Hillary has as both a great advantage and disadvantage is she is by far the best known candidate in either party. She knows full well what it is going to take for her to win, and by entering this early, she has a strategy fully formed that is both offensive and defensive.
We could speculate on her reasons for entering this early all day, but Hillary has by far the most experience running in a Presidential campaign and has a roomful of the smartest people in Washington advising her. Whatever reasons were behind her decision to enter this early, you can be sure, have been discussed deeply for months.
Don't expect 2016 to be like 2008. It won't be. And it will be different from 2012 as well. Obama's two victories changed things up radically, and 2016 will be just as radically different on both sides.
I am hearing O'Malley's name come up with regard to recent events in Baltimore, and not in a good way. Some are reaching back to his time as mayor being a time where blacks were increasingly abused by cops for petty stuff. I have no idea whether true or not, but it could hurt him if he were the candidate.
I am hearing O'Malley's name come up with regard to recent events in Baltimore, and not in a good way. Some are reaching back to his time as mayor being a time where blacks were increasingly abused by cops for petty stuff. I have no idea whether true or not, but it could hurt him if he were the candidate.
You bring up a good point: even though he is no longer part of the state government, Baltimore will hurt him to some degree. It is like Christi and the bridge scandals. It does appear Sanders is going to be a candidate, not that he has any chance but there will be a few left of left that will support him. The problem is, will they have or care to give him the money he will need.
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