The 2012 presidential election is underway as the primary season narrows down the Republican candidates to the one that will face President Obama. It's safe to say that Obama will face Mitt Romney, even though Romney -- who was dubbed the frontrunner only months ago -- is having a rough primary race with Rick Santorum, his biggest threat. Half a year ago, the nomination was open to as many as 10 different candidates. With the fight for the nomination now narrowed down to four candidates, with two clear frontrunners, the race, as intense and hot as it could be, is getting old. 2016 is the race for Republicans. Republicans, with these candidates, should very much be open for a loss. But the day after the election, they should start working on their perfect candidate who will run in 2016 when the field is open and the coast is clear.
2016 is expected to be a non-incumbent race, with an open field of Republicans and Democrats, as Obama is expected to win a second term in 2012. The problem is that the current GOP candidates are not running inspirational and original campaigns, like the one Obama ran in 2008. Romney, Gingrich and Santorum are just running a usual boring conservative anti-Obama campaign. Paul is pretty much doing what he did in 2008, with nothing new. These campaigns do not touch Americans, or make them feel proud or inspired in any way. The GOP field this time around is actually quite boring.
2010 was an important and significant year for GOP presidential politics. Even though there was no presidential election that year, the midterm elections conceived young rising Republican stars, whose meteoritic rise promises them already a potential candidacy for president one day. 2012 was too early for these starts to run, which makes 2016 a great rebound for Republicans, if and when they don't win the White House in 2012. I'm sure that the GOP is already marking those candidates, some of which got into the national political spotlight even before 2010. I personally cannot see a situation where Romney beats Obama. And if Romney can't beat Obama, Santorum and Gingrich can't. This is the reason that 2016, where the field is way open, is what the GOP should start working on the day after the 2012 election.
Today in America, being white and male just might not work if you want to run for President and win. After 230 years, Americans got it. Now, they understand that it's time to change a bit, little by little. Obama did it in 2008, and the GOP wants their chance as well. They've missed it in 2012, and now, 2016 is their perfect chance. There are few Republicans that can be named rising starts for their colossal rise. They are Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American representing Florida, a battleground state in the Unites States Senate, and Nikki Haley, an Indian-American woman who is the governor of South Carolina, Chris Cristie, the tough, out-spoken governor of New Jersey, Susana Martinez, the Latina governor of New Mexico, Bob McDonell, the governor of Virginia, another battleground state, and Kristi Noem, the young, good-looking Representative from South Dakota, whose already landed herself a key leadership role in the republican majority. All those politicians above, were elected in the 2009-2010 election cycle, and they all can run for president for their background, gender, or importance of state that they govern or represent.
There are more rising stars that were not elected in 2010 such as Bobby Jindal, the Indian-American governor of Louisiana, John Thune, the senator from South Dakota, and Paul Ryan, the influential young congressman from Wisconsin. There are many more stars that were elected in 2010, and some that were not. These are just the prominent ones, and I'm sure, that with the scenario of a second term for Obama, about three-quarters of these people above will put their name forward for president. They need time to make more of name for themselves, and 2016 is the perfect timing.
It is logical that the GOP nominee this year will choose a rising star, perhaps one from the class of 2010, but in 2008, we learned, with Governor Palin, that being number two on the ticket might not just be enough to spice up the whole race and bring results. Yes, Palin brought excitement and heat to the race, but in the end, McCain simply did not win. If you one wants a winning ticket, it is not enough to have the running mate be a minority or woman. You need the head of the ticket to be the one who spices up the race, and I'm sure that the GOP, watching Obama in 2008, fully comprehended that. As a result, I do not think that they expect too much to win this race, instead putting their money on 2016, with a candidate that will, for the first time in history, be the GOP nominee that is not a white man.
We all know that the GOP needs a 'savior' from the white male stigma that they have. The GOP must show that they appeal to all the different demographics in the population, whether they like it or not. They need to energize their Latino base, as well to appeal to women and young adults. The democrats are doing it well with their different ideas and candidates, but let's all face it -- Romney, Santorum and Gingrich do not appeal to any groups except white middle-aged people. Yes, they will try to energize the base with a minority or woman as a running mate, but as we learned from Palin in 2008, it's just not enough. Americans want excitement and different voices in their politics, and Republicans, especially in 2012, are just simply not delivering.