The GOP and Democratic primaries are still a long time away, and election day is even farther away. However, with president Barack Obama’s time in office winding down, the race to become the most powerful person in the world has already begun.
Some potential candidates are already being vetted by political pundits who are debating who the next leader of the United States should be. From the obvious frontrunners to the usual long shots and spoilers, the long list of candidates will become more defined in the next few months.
Republicans will have more potential nominees this time around, promising a more diverse and fun-to-watch primary. On the Democratic side, the current number of candidates is as short as the number of fingers in your hand.
Here’s the list, based on current political news and polls.
5. Marco Rubio (GOP)
Marco Rubio
Senator Marco Rubio seems closer and closer to announcing his intention to run each day. His advisors were told to proceed as if he is running for president and allies are already raising money and starting super PACs. According to a recent CBS poll, 14% of Republicans would like to see him run for president, and believe his a better conservative choice than the moderate Jeb Bush. Even if he is a long shot, his conservative stance and religious beliefs could make him a contender with the Republican base.
4. Rand Paul (GOP)
Rand Paul
Kentucky senator Rand Paul is one of the most intelligent choices for president of all the current potential republican nominees, and might be what the Republican Party needs to shake things up. His libertarianism is seen as a quality that is highly valued in the current political climate. His father, Ron Paul, has famously sought the Republican nomination in the past, and his grassroots interest may help Rand Paul get the nomination.
3. Elizabeth Warren (Democrat)
Elizabeth Warren
Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren could be the wild card in the Democratic Party. If Warren enters the race for the Democratic nomination she could have a sizable amount of votes in key battleground states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, according to The Wall Street Journal. A poll recently conducted by CNN/ORC shows that Clinton has a 66%-9% advantage over Warren on the national level. That’s about the same lead she had against Obama in 2008, and everybody knows what happened.
Warren has said that she will not be running. However, if she does, her chances of surpassing Hillary are reasonable. Many Democrats are considering and hoping for a Clinton-Warren ticket as the first female president and vice president in the U.S. history.
2. Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
Hillary Clinton
The former presidential candidate and Secretary of State is the Democratic frontrunner, and probably the most experienced of all of the current potential candidates. Many believe no GOP candidate would be able to beat her. Her time as First Lady, New York Senator, and more recently her experience as Secretary of State make her extremely qualified. However, nothing is set in stone. She had a huge lead in 2008 before Barack Obama challenged her to become the eventual Democratic nominee.
1. Jeb Bush (GOP)
Jeb Bush
According to media reports, it was always Jeb Bush that wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps to become president, but instead it was George W. Bush who took his seat in the Oval Office. Jeb Bush has recently announced that he is exploring a 2016 run, and late last year he stepped down from a number of corporate boards, fueling speculation that he will seek the Republican nomination. He is the current GOP frontrunner, and if he holds his place in the race, we may be heading to another ‘Bush v. Clinton’ presidential election. That would be fun to watch.
Other potential nominees who may be exploring a presidential bid are Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, Joe Biden, Trey Gowdy, Ben Carson, and Scott Walker.
Would you vote for any of these potential nominees?