Well, it's been going on for awhile, right? The book tours, the deft dodges in interviews, the repeated appearances in early primary states, that all means the invisible primary is in full swing, right?
Yep.
But we've entered a new phase because the first potential presidential candidate, a Democrat, has formed an exploratory committee to consider running. And that person is... Jimothy McWebbers! Err, Jim Webb. Who is he again?
Well, I'll just link to the TMZ of politics, Politico, and let them tell ya:
So he's a centrist who worked for Reagan that wants to challenge Hillary Clinton from the populist left...
Link to video.
So the list of candidates that are currently running or at minimum have formed an exploratory committee is...
Democratic Party
Jim Webb (former VA-Sen)
Republican Party
-none yet-
Also not in the threads but I wanted to stick in the current playing field for these candidates. Florida looks like it is behaving this year, but New York has reverted to a February primary date and North Carolina's voter ID law jumped its primary up to match South Carolina. Additionally, Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah all reserve the option to jump into February according to current state law but are more likely to go later. Currently, it looks like Texas, Florida, and Virginia are going on Super Tuesday with Oklahoma and Tennessee, so it's going to be a South-heavy day like it originally was. So the 2015 calendar looks like this at the moment (source):
Iowa Caucuses - Jan. 18th
New Hampshire Primaries - Jan. 26th
New York Primaries - Feb. 2nd
Nevada Caucuses - Feb. 6th
South Carolina Primaries - Feb. 13th
North Carolina Primaries - Feb. 16th
Michigan Primaries - Feb. 23rd
Super Tuesday ("SEC"-heavy including FL, TX, OK, TN, VA) - Mar. 1st
(NOTE: Thread marked [RD] to keep it on 2016 presidential candidates announcing exploratory committees, official campaign announcements/filings with the FEC on running for president, information on states and primaries that don't always get their own threads, etc. And let's not put in every whacko perennial candidate on wiki, I guess the minimum to be included is being at least as recognizable and serious as... Jim Webb or John Bolton? All that being said, snarking on the candidates per regular thread rules is encouraged.)
Yep.
But we've entered a new phase because the first potential presidential candidate, a Democrat, has formed an exploratory committee to consider running. And that person is... Jimothy McWebbers! Err, Jim Webb. Who is he again?
Well, I'll just link to the TMZ of politics, Politico, and let them tell ya:
Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb became the first well-known Democrat to launch an exploratory committee to run for president on Wednesday night, saying the nation is at a “serious crossroads.”
“I have decided to launch an Exploratory Committee to examine whether I should run for President in 2016,” Webb said in a four-page letter on his website, Webb2016.
...
The Vietnam veteran added, “A strong majority of Americans agree that we are at a serious crossroads. In my view the solutions are not simply political, but those of leadership. I learned long ago on the battlefields of Vietnam that in a crisis, there is no substitute for clear-eyed leadership.”
Webb, who was Ronald Reagan’s Navy secretary and who has held centrist views on a number of issues, has been bolstered by progressive news outlet The Nation as a potential challenge from the left to Hillary Clinton, the dominant front-runner who hasn’t yet said if she will launch a second national campaign.
“With enough financial support to conduct a first-class campaign, I have no doubt that we can put these issues squarely before the American people and gain their support,” said Webb, acknowledging his underdog status against a likely Clinton fundraising juggernaut.
So he's a centrist who worked for Reagan that wants to challenge Hillary Clinton from the populist left...
Link to video.
So the list of candidates that are currently running or at minimum have formed an exploratory committee is...
Democratic Party
Jim Webb (former VA-Sen)
Republican Party
-none yet-
Also not in the threads but I wanted to stick in the current playing field for these candidates. Florida looks like it is behaving this year, but New York has reverted to a February primary date and North Carolina's voter ID law jumped its primary up to match South Carolina. Additionally, Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah all reserve the option to jump into February according to current state law but are more likely to go later. Currently, it looks like Texas, Florida, and Virginia are going on Super Tuesday with Oklahoma and Tennessee, so it's going to be a South-heavy day like it originally was. So the 2015 calendar looks like this at the moment (source):
Iowa Caucuses - Jan. 18th
New Hampshire Primaries - Jan. 26th
New York Primaries - Feb. 2nd
Nevada Caucuses - Feb. 6th
South Carolina Primaries - Feb. 13th
North Carolina Primaries - Feb. 16th
Michigan Primaries - Feb. 23rd
Super Tuesday ("SEC"-heavy including FL, TX, OK, TN, VA) - Mar. 1st
(NOTE: Thread marked [RD] to keep it on 2016 presidential candidates announcing exploratory committees, official campaign announcements/filings with the FEC on running for president, information on states and primaries that don't always get their own threads, etc. And let's not put in every whacko perennial candidate on wiki, I guess the minimum to be included is being at least as recognizable and serious as... Jim Webb or John Bolton? All that being said, snarking on the candidates per regular thread rules is encouraged.)