2016 is just around the corner!

[Landslide Lyndon]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/welcome-to-the-sweet-2016/2012/03/19/gIQAhd8bNS_blog.html

[N.i.K.]

Dems:

Cuomo (By default, he's the press core's favorite, though Schweitzer is probably number two)
Warren (Again, by default, neither is particularly likely)
Gillibrand (Not a heavyweight competition)
O'Malley (Interesting, I struggled, but picked O'Malley)

GOP:

Rubio (The Paul wing isn't strong enough)
Bush (I hesitated. Jindal's star power has clearly faded, so Bush gets the win. Neither is likely)
McDonnell (Relatively easy choice; Portman will be running for re-election)
Christie (Another easy choice)

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

lol mark warner

[Old Europe]

Too much imagination there. It'll be Biden vs. Santorum and Santorum's gonna win.

[useful idiot]

Is the Dem bench really THAT weak???

[ChairmanSanchez]

Schweitzer vs Cuomo: Its Schweitzer. Cuomo is still a popular and likely choice, but Schweitzer is a moderate Democrat, and popular governor of a Republican state.

Warner vs Warren: Warren, without a doubt. Warner is a dried up moderate hero and vastly overrated.

Gillibrand vs Patrick: Easy one for Gillibrand.

Clinton vs O'Malley: If Clinton runs, then I say she wins this one. But its a pretty hard choice.

Rubio vs Paul: I am going to say Paul--Rubio is unlikely to run anyway since he has to be reelected to the Senate. Paul is slightly more moderate compared to Papa Paul and can win over GOP voters better.

Bush vs Jindal: Both are "has beens". Jindal, narrowly, because he is younger and has not been out of politics for 10 years, like Bush will be in 2016.

Christie vs Martinez: The fat man wins handily.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Too much imagination there. It'll be Biden vs. Santorum and Santorum's gonna win.

Biden will be 74 and is gaffe-prone. I doubt he'll even run, but if he does he won't get through the primary.

[RogueBeaver]

Dems:

Cuomo: Press fav but cannot be nominated because the base won't accept a union-neutering New Democrat.

O'Malley: All but certain.

Schweitzer: Could be the consensus candidate if he's interested.


GOP:

Bush: Not happening. Need not explain why.

Christie: Champion of the Northeast moderate wing.

Jindal: Fusionist Southern conservative.

McDonnell: Depends if a) he's nominated/elected Veep b) runs against Warner in '14.

Class of '10: Doubtful any of them will run. If so, it won't be Rubio.

Ryan: Maybe, maybe not. Doubtful he and Jindal would run against each other given that they're politically identical apart from their regional base.

[Nagas]

Is the Dem bench really THAT weak???

You think Schweitzer and Cuomo constitute a weak bench? Hilarious.

I'd say both sides have fantastic benches.

[Vermin Supreme]

Is the Dem bench really THAT weak???

You think Schweitzer and Cuomo constitute a weak bench? Hilarious.

I'd say both sides have fantastic benches.

Cuomo is the worst choice for Democrats

[useful idiot]

Is the Dem bench really THAT weak???

You think Schweitzer and Cuomo constitute a weak bench? Hilarious.

I'd say both sides have fantastic benches.

I don't understand why Cuomo is considered viable. He's uninteresting (even if animated), his accent is obnoxious, and he's divorced and living with a TV personality. As for Schweitzer, he's a white version of Bill Richardson.

Hillary is the only Dem on that list with any star power and she'll be 69 at the next election.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Is the Dem bench really THAT weak???

You think Schweitzer and Cuomo constitute a weak bench? Hilarious.

I'd say both sides have fantastic benches.

I don't understand why Cuomo is considered viable. He's uninteresting (even if animated), his accent is obnoxious, and he's divorced and living with a TV personality. As for Schweitzer, he's a white version of Bill Richardson.

Hillary is the only Dem on that list with any star power and she'll be 69 at the next election.

Cuomo might be uncharismatic and obnoxious but he is the uber-popular governor of the 3rd biggest state in the union and will certainly have the ability to raise a boatload of money.

Your comparison of Schweitzer with Richardson is incomprehensible. Schweitzer is much more charismatic and folksy while being no slouch when it comes to policy. It's no coincidence that he is a netroots darling despite his moderate record. If he manages to raise the necessary funds and get his name out there then he will be a force in the Democratic primary.

[Secretary of Labor Earthling]

Dems:

Schweitzer
Warren
Gillibrand
Clinton

GOP:

Rubio
Bush
McDonnell
Christie

[Beet]

The current count from WashPost.com readers is

Cuomo 84 - Schweitzer 16
Clinton 55 - O'Malley 45
Warner 72 - Warren 28
Gillibrand 54 - Patrick 46

Rubio 68 - Paul 32
Bush 60 - Jindal 40
McDonnell 70 - Portman 30
Christie 84 - Martinez 16

I'm detecting a slight Mid-Atlantic/East Coast bias from these WashPost.com readers.

[Yelnoc]

Too much imagination there. It'll be Biden vs. Santorum and Santorum's gonna win.

And you have too little.  Rubio is up for election in 2016 and Biden will be 74.

[Secretary of Labor Earthling]

Paul is also up for reelection that year. I doubt either one will run in 2016.

[ChairmanSanchez]

Paul is also up for reelection that year. I doubt either one will run in 2016.

Paul will not face a serious challenge. Rubio might have Charlie Crist, Lois Frankel, or Debbie Schultz to deal with.

[Secretary of Labor Earthling]

Maybe, but that doesn't say that he will run in 2016. He needs to show he is his own man, and not just his father's son. Six years might not be enough to do that.

[OC]

Cuoma and McDonnell are my picks for 2016.

[qochimodo]

An Obama win = Slim chance for moderates, the base is going to demand someone to the left of Obama economically as inequality despite anything Obama will or won't do is going to become a much bigger issue and the demographic trends will only aide this, Hilary's big name will give her a shot, but any other moderate would be extremely unlikely.

An Obama loss = Based off Romney's reverse robin hood agenda the Democratic base will be in a 2004/2006 x 2 like mood only their anger will be centered in economic, not foreign policy. Moderates odds will go from slim to zero again with Hilary as an exception again because of her name and because she's perceived by the base as a fighter.

With all that said I don't see Hilary running, the Democrat candidate in 2012 will be Fiengold, Warren or O'Malley with Patrick as a long shot.

Cuomo will be painted as a corporate/wall street tool and be completely destroyed

And anyone who thinks Mark Warner has a prayer has never seen a video of him, his voice sounds like sh**t and in this day and age with the media and internet what it is that makes you
unelectable