Republican Contenders

[Kyle]

So here's the situation- there's never been a more disliked candidate than Trump at this point in his tenure. I'm guessing that this means that he is not going to be uncontested as the republican nominee for 2020. On the other hand, republicans greatly value being lock-step with the party. So two questions: (1) will a serious candidate challenge trump as the republican nominee; and if so then (2) who are good candidates?

[Phoebe]

I'm sure people like Evan McMullin who already did it are happy to do it again, but I don't see that anybody who could actually win is going to do it. Most of the people who have paid a big lip service to being never trumper's went ahead and voted with everything that he was for in Congress anyway so far. I think in some districts they just wanted the optics of being opposed to him while going right ahead with his agenda in reality. They're basically fearful and aren't going to want to go up against him knowing how nasty it will be.

[Stan]

It would be hard to get through the primaries unless things get much worse.

1. Trump has control of the white house and party apparatus. The latter might be tepid for him if things have gone very bad. But I don't see Trump playing fair and not using advantages for mere ethical reasons.

2. At this point, the overwhelming majority of Republican voters support Trump. There might be a few that a defensive in replying to polls who would vote for another Republican if they could but I doubt it's a large number. But many of them have been immunized against truth after decaades of being told what sources to listen to - they've had to had heard >100 bad, true things so far and still support him.

I dunno who has the clout and the distance so make a ago.
Hey! Chris Christie!

[buckett]

Dwayne Johnson

[poorpete]

If Trump is around as president in 2020 and runs, I see it approval rating based

If his national approval is less than:
80%: Evan McMullin
40%: John Kasich
33%: Jon Huntsman, Jr., Jeb Bush, Marco "Paper Tiger" Rubio, Rob Portman
25%: Ted Cruz, The Rock
20%: Competent and incompetent women candidates (if Susan Collins becomes governor of Maine, I'd like to see her run, and win... the nomination) and those seeking book deals and Fox shows.

If this was actually in any ways accurate, I'd also say the best chance of kicking him off the GOP ticket would probably be for him to have approval between 34 and 39 percent. 2 strong opponents who later unite would be good enough to take him down, I'd like to think. Anymore and he'll get to count on his deporables and then the sense of inevitability to push him to the top again.

[Phoebe]

The question weighing on me like a stone is, who runs in 2020 for the Ds? It needs to be someone sassy with some charisma, who can get away with being sarcastic without looking like a jerk or a tight ass. Who is that? Any governors out there in hiding? Can we have Al Franken?

[Zen]

[Bluedevyl]

I have a feeling that the Dem's nominee in 2020 will be someone like Chuck Schumer. It'll be a candidate from one of their stronghold states that is just milquetoast enough to not be objectionable to more moderate voters.

I'd be sad to see Schumer leave New York. While I don't always agree with him on his positions, he's been a strong advocate for New York.

I REALLY don't want them to go the Andrew Cuomo route... he's unpopular enough in his own state.

For my money, I'd LOVE to see Cory Booker run.

[FlameBlade]

Kirsten Gillebrand or Kamala Harris seem most likely for dems. Though, Joe Kennedy is rising quickly as well.

[poorpete]

Gillebrand is considered a moderate Dem, but with her voting against all Trump nominees, even the non-controversial ones, she is building up Resistance-cred. Cred she doesn't need to be reelected in NY but cred to be a nominee or VP in 2020.

She has my vote.