With former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s announcement this month that he would “actively explore” a run for the White House in 2016, the race for the Republican nomination has begun.
Bush is among many possible contenders. They span the full conservative spectrum, from tea party-based legislators like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to former three-time New York Gov. George Pataki and other moderates and liberals including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
The winner may possibly square off against former Democrat Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She is expected to announce her decision early next year.
“It is going to be a big field,” Kyle Kondik, a political analyst for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, recently told Newsmax. “There’s going to be a lot of capable people in the field.”
Here’s a snapshot of 16 possible contenders (listed alphabetically) for the 2016 Republican nomination:
Source: Todd Beamon and Bill Hoffmann, newsmax.com