Presidential Power Rankings # 7

February 14, 2007

I feel the need to temporarily expand the list to 15 candidates. While the GOP has an additional person talking about entering the race (for whatever reason), the Democrats really do not. Nonetheless, I will re-add Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, who has at times in the past, said that he would accept a draft effort. Consider that very unlikely though.

Democrats:

1. Hillary Rodham Clinton (1)
2. Barack Obama (2)
3. John Edwards (3)
4. Al Gore (4)
5. Bill Richardson (5)
6. Tom Vilsack (6)
7. Chris Dodd (7)
8. Joe Biden (8)
9. Dennis Kucinich (9)
10. Wes Clark (10)
11. Al Sharpton (11)
12. Mark Warner (12)
13. Phil Bredesen (new)
14. John Kerry (13)
15. Mike Gravel (14)

Republicans:

1. John McCain (1)
2. Mitt Romney (2)
3. Rudy Giuliani (3)
4. Mike Huckabee (5)
5. Sam Brownback (4)
6. Newt Gingrich (6)
7. Tommy Thompson (7)
8. Duncan Hunter (10)
9. Chuck Hagel (9)
10. Jim Gilmore (8)
11. George Pataki (11)
12. Tom Tancredo (12)
13. Ron Paul (13)
14. John Cox (14)
15. Michael Savage (new)

I have made a couple changes, beyond the addition of nutjob radio guy Michael Savage, who is threatening the country by talking about maybe jumping in.

Firstly, I have once again placed Mike Huckabee up a spot ahead of Sam Brownback. The fact that Huckabee has now been endorsed by the widow of former South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell, and one of their politically active sons, could be signifcant.

Next, I am knocking Jim Gilmore down a couple of notches, for the simple reason, that since filing explatory committee paperwork, he has basically just disappeared from the scene.

Congressman Duncan Hunter has no realistic shot at the nomination or even breaking into the first or maybe even second tier, but he is running, and he will have pockets of support as a conservative, pro-military, protectionist alternative.