The Rundown | Planet Ryan

Since presidential politics are dominating the headlines and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, I thought I’d present my personal thoughts about some of the candidates on each side of the political aisle.

For full disclosure, I’m a registered Republican. However, roughly 90 percent of my day job revolves around producing political content, so my exposure to the goings-on of each party is constant.

These are my opinions only. Let’s go.

Ted Cruz – Though he’s not leading the polls, he’s held a solid position since announcing his presidential ambitions. Truth be told, he’s not my first choice, but I concede he’s probably the logical mix of candidate who would satisfy the voters who want a Washington outsider as well as those who want someone with proven political experience. But then again, this probably won’t be a logical election cycle.

Hillary Clinton – She has strong support from her loyal fans – those who have been pulling for a Hillary presidency for years. Her numbers have tanked since Bernie Sanders blew up in popularity — and of course due to the dark cloud of scandal that surrounds her. Questions surrounding her e-mail scandal, contrary to what she hopes, aren’t going away. Personally, I see the Clinton battleship rapidly sinking.

Dr. Ben Carson – This candidate has a lot going for him. Compared to his GOP opponents, he’ll do much better with minority voters. He’s a legendary surgeon and definitely a political outsider. He’s also climbing the polls quickly. Carson is definitely in it for the long haul.

Bernie Sanders – This 74-year-old, self-described democratic-socialist has managed to make his presence felt. While he’s running an admirably ambitious campaign and generating big poll numbers – enough to worry Hillary – please understand that a socialist candidate has virtually zero chance of winning a general election. Nor would a far-right, stalwart former Christian pastor like Mike Huckabee. Sanders would have much better luck running in Venezuela or North Vietnam.

Donald Trump – I previously wrote an entire column on “The Donald,” so most of you know why I like the guy. I like that he’s bold, unfiltered and says what other politicians wouldn’t dare. I can’t stand political correctness and this candidate has remained at the top of the polls since June because he’s refused to play nice with the PC crowd. My opinion on Trump hasn’t changed much. I’ll concede he’ll be a hard sell for a general election win, but taking the party nomination is looking more realistic each day.

Joe Biden – As of this writing, he’s rumored to be jumping in sometime this week, possibly. I think he’ll grab most of the voters who like President Obama, which is a sizable number. I also think he’s the potential candidate Hillary loses sleep over. Uncle Joe will, without a doubt, be the strongest Democratic candidate.

Jeb Bush – His last name isn’t doing him any favors. Polls on the GOP side show voters do not want an entrenched political power player like Bush. He might hang on for the long-haul, but it’s a colossal waste of time, energy and money.

Marco Rubio – He’s a potential player. He’s gaining in popularity — especially among Republican voters who want a seasoned politician. Many said he won the second GOP debate. He’ll be in it until the end.

Lincoln Chafee – Ha ha.

What say you? Let me know if you agree or disagree. All opinions are appreciated and welcomed. My email address is seonoobs@gmail.com.

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