Ok, assume for a second Hillary WILL run....

[Rosco T.]

.. just make that a fact in the following discussion. That's not the point of discussion.

Now...

.. who's the sacrificial elephant the GOP puts up against her?

They can't use Mittens again.

The Quitta from Wassilla?

Lyin' Ryan?

[Little Star]

1. I think they were counting on Jeb for 2016 but..

I doubt he'll take that chance if Hillary runs.

Maybe lyin' Ryan is my guess.

[msongs]

2. hillary clinton in 2016? surely we can do better than that nt

[bigwillq]

12. Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a winner.

[rtracey]

3. ok well

First of all, anyone related to George Bush will never win the presidency again.... I believe Chris Christy will be in the hunt, but many claim he may not get the nomination because of the Obama/Christy Sandy Hurricane photo-ops. I will say keep your eyes on Santurum

[jcgoldie]

5. Historically the republican party nominates the previous runner up...

Ford defeated Reagan in 1976
Reagan defeated Bush Sr. in 1980
Bush Sr. defeated Dole in 1988
Bush Jr. defeated McCain in 2000
McCain defeated Romney in 2008

... Pretty strong argument for Santorum... (=cakewalk for Hillary)

[Cosmocat]

4. Christie or Rubio

I think they are pinning a lot of hopes on Rubio.

In their entitled, all politics all the time minds, it drives them MAD that Hispanics, with supposed conservative cultural "values" vote for democrats.

They feel they are should get them to brainlessly pull the trigger for them like any other subgroup they have assimilated.

They are going to do immigration reform, and they are going to make it about Rubio. Reform will be 99 percent what the President has proposed, but they will do what they do, say he was going to just them be citizens for nothing while dancing the line between saying Rubio championed the interests of Hispanics while doing it the AMERICAN way.

He is a true believer in their bullshit, and is good looking, and I can't see any scenario where he either is not at the top of the ticket or second on the card.

Christie has a shot. Last fall will be forgotten, he will be the firebrand, northern republican who they think will bring NJ and by extension Pa.

Both are ambitious and want the job for sure.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. They need a Hispanic: Rubio or Ted Cruz (long shot).

Everyone is in love with Chris Christie, but he can't win in the southern, Midwestern states. He's too liberal for those states, unless somehow the Republicans move to the center.

[Beacool]

7. They have several.

Rubio, Christie, Paul, Jeb, Ryan, Cruz and others that will probably pop up between now and then. They also have a couple of women governors, Martinez and Haley.

2016 might not be easy. It's hard for the same party to keep the WH for 3 terms.

[polichick]

8. I'm thinking their ticket will be Jeb/Rubio

[libdem4life]

9. Makes sense. Hillary/Castro may be the antidote. The Clinton-Bush rerun and a Hispanic.

Hispanics are coming onto the national political stage. I know he's a bit young, but he doesn't have the Rubio baggage and it all fits so well otherwise. Also, I love Rosa Castro...she's an old-school Chicana Democrat.

[bornskeptic]

10. That won't be it. They're from the same state.

I'm guessing Jeb Bush/Susana Martinez. Rubio's only 41. I don't think he'll get involved if Hillary Clinton decides to run. He can afford to wait. Jeb can't.Many DUers seem to think Bush family connections would prevent his nomination, but I don't expect that to matter, because the big money will be behind him. They're not going to let a disaster like Santorum or Perry sink their chances. Martinez is an obvious VP choice. She probably has a better chance to appeal to Latinos and a better chance to appeal to women than anybody else in the GOP.

[madinmaryland]

11. Rmoney again. He's got the money and experience losing.

[flamingdem]

13. It looks like Rubio is up for some abuse

He really believes he's some latino favorite son. I hope the old animosities hold up and the latinos continue to eschew him.