Politics

Republicans Looking For 2016 Contenders, Poll Suggests Clinton Would Beat GOP Rivals in Iowa

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Reason

To many people the 2016 elections may seem too far away to start with polling and serious discussions about possible contenders.

Not so for some Republicans, who have already begun the search for a candidate that will not repeat Mitt Romney's 2012 performance. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is one of the Republicans being widely discussed as a possible presidential nominee, as are Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Republican Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and Scott Walker of Wisconsin are also contenders.

From Reuters:

(Reuters)—Seeking to raise money for the New Hampshire Republican Party, state chairwoman Jennifer Horn recently called the party's national boss, Reince Priebus, with a question: Could he get Rand Paul to visit?

The request, and Paul's appearance here last Monday in a room packed with 500 Republicans, spoke volumes about the party as its followers—some energized by the scandals surrounding Democratic President Barack Obama's administration—are already looking to the 2016 elections.

With no clear presidential front-runner in their party, Republicans are in shopping mode.

Whoever gets the GOP presidential nomination in 2016 may end up facing Hillary Clinton who, recent polling suggests, would beat at least two of the GOP's current 2016 favorites in Iowa.

From the Huffington Post:

Hillary Clinton would lead two potential GOP rivals in Iowa in the 2016 presidential election, according to a poll released Friday by Quinnipiac University, while Vice President Joe Biden would narrowly trail his potential GOP opponents.

The poll found Clinton ahead of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) by 48 percent to 37 percent. She led Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who recently traveled to Iowa, by a narrower 46 to 42 percent.

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