Thursday, February 3, 2011

National Journal: Mitt Romney tops 2012 Presidential Power Rankings

We rank the top 15 GOP contenders using four criteria:
  • Money: How much do they have? How much can they raise?
  • Campaign infrastructure: Do they have the ability to assemble a competitive and competent staff, both at the national and state levels?
  • Strengths: What issue(s) can the candidate truly hang their hat on? Is there a specific area of expertise they can sell to voters? Do they have a strong track record on one particular issue?
  • Weaknesses: Every candidate has one -- heck, most candidates have plenty -- and the reality is that eventually they will have to address them. This will be easier for some contenders than others: Explaining away one vote for bad legislation is far easier than justifying a major moral lapse or some fatally flawed executive decision. At the end of the day, some candidates will have weaknesses, and others will have albatrosses. It’s the latter group who should be worried.
RANKINGS: (ranking the last time)

1. Mitt Romney (1)
2. Tim Pawlenty (2)
3. Mike Huckabee (5)
4. John Thune (3)
5. Mitch Daniels (9)
6. Haley Barbour (4)
7. Newt Gingrich (7)
8. Sarah Palin (6)
9. Jon Huntsmann (NEW)
10. Rick Santorum (13)
11. Jim DeMint (14)
12. Michelle Bachmann (NEW)
13. Ron Paul (15)
14. Herman Cain (NEW)
15. Rudy Giuliani (NEW)

To read the Journal's explanation for each candidate's ranking, go HERE.

5 comments:

illinoisguy said...

Several seem to high, but then I can't find anyone who should bump them out. Huckabee probably should be above Pawlenty, with the exception of the fact he very well many not be running. Personally, I think they all have a major hill to climb to beat Mitt Romney.

Anonymous said...

IG - I agree.

Thune #3? There's just no way. He's a nobody to most everyone, and meets none of the criteria.

Yes, Romney is the most formidable at this point. As a Romney fan, it's hard not to think so, but I don't see how someone takes him out. I guess a concerted effort might work, but who would emerge from that? They all seem pretty weak in one way or another to me.

-Martha

David said...

I agree with Romney on top. But Pawlenty ahead of Huckabee or even Palin, I can't see it.

Anonymous said...

They got No. 1 right!

zeke

Henry D'Andrea said...

I completely disagree with this list.

Romney should be #1, but Pawlenty #2? I don't think so. What I mostly disagree with is Palin at #8? Are you kidding me? I would easily put her #2. Then Huckabee, then Pawlenty.