Friday, April 10, 2015

9KUSA – The 2016 Presidential Election has Official Competition

As of Tuesday, April 7, the 2016 presidential contest has two declared competitors: Republican senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky. And in Colorado on Tuesday, undeclared but actively campaigning candidate, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, was fundraising with gas and oil and other supporters.

Early returns from the declared candidates are mixed. Cruz raised a record sum from Super PACs in two weeks, $31 million, but he has since been overshadowed by the regular news and the sheer volume of prospective Republican candidates.

Photo: 9News
Rand Paul is still trying to explain his rapidly evolving foreign policy views. From his 2010 start in politics, he has represented the anti-war, anti-intervention sentiment among many Americans, especially young libertarians, his base. But events and the Obama administration’s foreign policy struggles have made the position untenable, especially in the Republican Party. Hence, Paul has shifted on Iranian negotiations, intervention against ISIS and foreign aid to Israel. And his explanations have included testy run-ins with the Washington cable news press corps.

Finally, in the busiest week in the nascent presidential campaign, reports indicate Hillary Clinton is on the cusp of her announcement for the Democratic nomination.

Colorado will continue to be a platform for aspiring nominees. It is a swing state with many passionate partisans who will work for candidates and help fund them.

Let the 2016 campaign begin!

See 9News: Campaigning for 2016 without a campaign

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