Here are the final News Talk Florida GOP Presidential Power Rankings for 2015. It has been the year of Donald Trump and he is not going away. Voting gets started soon and the fun begins and we will be here to bring it all to you so enjoy your new year holiday and be safe.
- Donald Trump – In the last Power Rankings of 2015 the man who has held this spot for nearly six months remains at the top of our rankings. He remains the candidate that he followers love and the GOP hates. The better start to get used to him because there is no reason to think he can’t be the party’s nominee. There is a long way to go but his following seems to grow, now let’s see how they vote.
- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz – With Iowa looming about a month away Cruz has established himself a man on the rise. Early polls in the Hawkeye state have it as to close to call race between the Texan and Trump. There are a couple of polls that have Cruz in the lead, so he is the clear number two at this time.
- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – He scored the endorsement of New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s top newspaper. The paper also had a front page editorial denouncing Trump and started an all out war between the billionaire, the newspaper and Christie. The big man from New Jersey would love to pull the upset over Trump, but at this point a strong second would give him the traction needed to perhaps break away from the other establishment Republican’s.
- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio – He dropped a spot from last week when he held down third place and looked like the leading establishment candidate. But right now there are concerns that the junior Senator from Florida might not be able to win any of the early states. He needs some third place or better showings heading into Florida the second week of March. The goal for Rubio is to stay in the hunt as a relevant competitor while hoping that Trump or Cruz starts to drop.
- Dr. Ben Carson – Ever since the race became about foreign policy the good doctor has dropped each week. But Carson will likely do well in Iowa and South Carolina. If he could somehow win or place second in those races he could move back up in the polls.
- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush – Just about everybody has written off the 100-Million-Dollar-Man, and he has outspent opponent’s with nothing to show for it. Because he has the money Bush can play the long game much like his fellow Floridian Sen. Rubio. But he needs some signs of life in his campaign because thus far he has barely moved the needle.
- Ohio Gov. John Kasich – He has spent a great deal of time in New Hampshire and he like Christie is looking to get a second or third place finish. He does not have the big money and strong campaign support of Bush. He can hang around at least through March and perhaps April to see if lightning strikes somewhere.
- Carly Fiorina – She just has not progressed as a candidate and she is in danger of falling out of the debate picture altogether once again. Though an outsider, she also fits well into the establishment mold and could be one of the few dual-acceptance candidates. But she seems to just disappear after the debates.
- Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul – He is fun to watch as a debater but is likely not to last much after March.
- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee – Like Sen. Paul it is hard to see him being in the race much longer.
- Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum – A total non factor. Should have dropped out months ago.
