As the Republican pool of potential candidates is deepening, we can look at the potential those who are officially in, or are nearly officially in, the race and give some assessment. It is essential to look at which Republican candidate can win the Primary vote, but it is also important to examine who can win the Presidency.
In the last few weeks Tim Pawlenty has jumped in the Presidential race, others like Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich and Rand Paul have nearly jumped in.
Still several others are showing some sign of jumping in the race like Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Jim DeMint, John Huntsman, Mike Huckabee and the list is by no means exhaustive.
While it is interesting, even inspiring, to see so many face wanting to run in 2012. That being stated, it is also important to look at what these candidates chances are both in the primaries and in actually winning in the Presidential Election.
One thing to mention before the list is dissected is to say that the two potential candidates who have could be the most exiting campaigns for President aren’t going to run; Bobby Jindal and Chris Christie won’t be candidates for President in 2012. So any further discussion of Jindal or Christie would be as irrelevant as discussing Calvin Coolidge as a candidate in 2012.
Now for the candidates who will or are showing real interest in running: There is the list of those who have a rabid following. These candidates can raise money, get TV time and get there name out easily. This grouo consists of Sarah Palin, Rachele Bachmann, Ron and Rand Paul. They may excite parts of the base on the Right, yet these names will have a very slim chance of surviving the Republican primary. Each of these names have perception problems in that those who don’t agree with them on a majority of their stances, see them as either too simple, or just plain nutty (for some candidates both designations could apply). Therefore these names are long-shots to even Place or Show in the primaries.
Another list, which consists of John Huntsman, John Bolton and Donald Trump, are names who can gain support and even raise a lot of money. The big obstacle these names are going to face is either people don’t know who they are (like Huntsman or Bolton) or they are going to have a difficult time projecting presidential attributes like Trump who often speaks before thinking. Even if those obstacles were overcome, for the names in this group, they are still faced with the problem of the base seeing them as names which can’t be trusted. Each of these names have taken policy stances which alienate them from the base. Therefore these names are long-shots to make much of a showing in the primaries.
For those who have some chance of making stronger showings in the Republican Primary, there is another list, consisting of Newt Gingrich, Jim DeMint and Rick Santorum. Each of these names carry a massive amount of weight and each name can rally support behind there campaigns. However, even if his group does well in the primaries, they will have substantial challenges appealing to the Middle and(or) independent voters. This group can easily be portrayed as extreme and polarizing. None on this list has done a good job combating that perception; thus, those names on this list are long-shots for winning the Presidential Election, because without having some strong appeal to the Middle, they would have a pretty substantial election loss ahead of them.
Like the Last group, there is another group with greater potential for a stronger primary performance. This group consisting of Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, will have major problems with establishing base support outside of the primaries. Both of these names ran in 2008. Huckabee overstayed his welcome in the primaries even after it was obvious he had no chance. Huckabee also is perceived as a Middle-of-the-road former Governor. Romney has problems with his signature accomplishment as Governor of Massachusetts which was a centralized health care plan. Voters could see this as remarkably similar to the national version of centralized health care Romney has railed against. Hence this group is too close to the Middle and has potentially alienated their base making them long-shots for a Presidential win.
So who has a chance to both win in the primaries and potentially win in the General Election? This list consists of Haley Barbor, Mitch Daniels and Tim Pawlenty. Each of these names have been popular Governors, can appeal to the base with their records of fiscally responsible State budgeting, and they haven’t framed their issues in extreme terms to alienate the Middle. Each of the names can articulately present their policies and have some national recognition. If the Election were held today, I believe one of these names could win it.
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So who do we vote for? It will be very interesting exspecially if Thrump runs. 
Mr. Barbour would be a good choice as would Mr. Gingrich, but...
Mr. Trump does speak before thinking at times, but, so does our current impersonator of a president Oduma...oops...Obama. I think Trump would be able to bring the country back in line and make us strong and respectable. I read the main article in Human Events (March 14, 2011 issue) and it is very good and eye opening, almost Reagan with the "won't take any crap" stance.
I think he could do a very good job and I hope he gets in. We need someone who can take the heat and then beat out the worst example of a president we have EVER had, worse than Carter by far.