United States Republican presidential candidates, 2008 Totally Explained

Everything about United States Republican Presidential Candidates 2008 totally explained

This article lists officially declared Republican candidates for the President of the United States in the 2008 election.
In accordance with the 22nd Amendment, incumbent President George W. Bush is required to leave office in 2009 due to term limits, and Vice President Dick Cheney chose not to run for President.
On March 4, 2008, John McCain obtained the 1,191 delegates necessary to receive the party's nomination. Mike Huckabee announced his withdrawal from the race later in the evening. Though Ron Paul is still an active candidate, it's no longer mathematically possible for him to obtain a majority of the delegates during the primary/caucus process.

Delegate race count

This chart shows the total number of delegates committed to each candidate from the Primaries/caucuses/state conventions (different state parties use varied methods for electing delegates).

Presumptive nominee

Senator John McCain(Campaign site)	John McCain, born August 29, 1936, in the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal Zone, Senator from Arizona. Born into a military family, he became a naval aviator and POW during the Vietnam War. Often characterized as a Republican maverick in the Senate, he's well-known. In 2000, he failed in his attempt against George W. Bush for the Republican nomination: McCain continued his ultimately unsuccessful campaign long after the other Republican candidates had united behind Bush. McCain's bipartisan compromise on judicial nominations and his strong support of campaign finance reform have drawn the ire of many groups, many of which have vowed to work against any McCain campaigns for the Republican nomination in 2008. He has a strong stance on many issues. These factors, along with his commitment to the War on Terror (including Iraq) have boosted his popularity amongst conservatives since 2004, when he emphasized these traits while stumping for Republican candidates. On November 15, 2006, McCain announced he'd form an exploratory committee. On the Late Show with David Letterman on February 28, 2007, he announced he'd seek the GOP presidential nomination. He made a formal announcement on April 25, 2007. As of March 4, 2008, he's the presumptive Republican nominee.

Other active candidates with national campaigns

Representative Ron Paul(Campaign site)	Ron Paul, born August 20, 1935, in Green Tree, Pennsylvania, is a long time U.S. Representative from Texas with a strong constitutionalist and libertarian voting record. Nicknamed "Dr. No" for his opposition to tax increases and spending bills, Paul has chastened his fellow Republicans for abandoning the party's commitment to limited government, and for helping to create an unsustainable national debt now in the trillions of dollars. Paul seeks to "reinstate the Constitution and restore the Republic." On January 11, 2007, Paul filed papers to form an exploratory committee for the 2008 presidential race. He formally declared his candidacy 12 March 2007 as a guest on Washington Journal on C-SPAN. Paul ran for President as a Libertarian nearly two decades ago. He is opposed to the Iraq War and had the distinction of being one of only seven Republican congressmen who voted against Iraq War authorization in October 2002. He has also opposed George W. Bush and the majority of Republican congressmen on the PATRIOT Act. On February 20, 2007, Paul's exploratory committee posted on YouTube a formal video of him explaining his reason for running. Paul did well in Republican straw polls and has broken several fundraising records including raising the most money ever raised in 24 hours, when Paul raised over $6.3 million on December 16, 2007 as a part of a moneybomb celebrating the Boston Tea Party. Although his presidential campaign is still officially active, he can't win the party's nomination except in the unlikely event of multiple ballots or released delegates.

Withdrawn from seeking nomination

Candidates who have withdrawn or suspended their campaigns.
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City(Campaign site)	Rudy Giuliani, born May 28, 1944, in New York, former mayor of New York City. Giuliani said on October 2, 2005, that he'd look at the possibility of running for President. On November 13, 2006, he announced that he was forming an exploratory committee. He has led several state and nationwide polls for the Republican nomination and the general election, and has been mentioned by many media sources as a possible candidate since the 9/11 attacks and a speech to the 2004 Republican Convention. (See polls below) Giuliani is pro-choice, and supports a type of civil union between same sex couples and agrees for legal and medical reasons that same sex relationships should get the same rights under the law. He also believes in strong restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms and agrees with harsh punishment for illegal weapons or non permitted weapons. While opinions differ, some think that these positions could help him, should he secure the nomination, in the general election; others question whether the Republican base would support a nominee with Giuliani's social positions. On February 5, 2007, Giuliani unofficially entered the race for the 2008 U.S. presidential election by filing a "statement of candidacy" with the Federal Election Commission, but legally keeping him at the same level as he was while running an exploratory committee. On February 15, Giuliani officially announced that he was running on CNN's Larry King Live show. Had he received the GOP nomination and been elected, Giuliani would have been the first Italian-American to hold the office of president, as well as the second Roman Catholic after John F. Kennedy. Giuliani finished third in the Florida primary on January 29, 2008. The next day he withdrew from the race and endorsed John McCain.
Senator Sam Brownback	Sam Brownback, born September 12, 1956, in Kansas, senior Senator from that state. In April 2005, the Associated Press reported that Brownback, who is little known outside his home state, "is using a network of social conservatives and Christian activists to raise his profile" in such battleground states as Iowa and New Hampshire. He is well known for his social and fiscal conservative record, such as opposing abortion and instituting a flat tax alternative to the current IRS Code. He was also instrumental in Congress' bestowing the Congressional Medal upon Mother Teresa. In his own words, "The core of my being is to rebuild the family and renew the culture." On December 4, 2006, Brownback announced that he'd form an exploratory committee. On January 20, 2007, Brownback officially announced his candidacy. Of his campaign, Brownback has said, "I'm a son of a farmer from Kansas ... I still think anybody can be president. I don't think you've to show up with $100 million to do it. ... I'm the tortoise in the race. And I don't like how the race starts; I like how it ends up." Brownback was one of three who raised his hand in the May 3, 2007, Republican candidates debate when asked "Is there anybody on the stage who doesn't believe in evolution?". Brownback officially withdrew from the presidential race on October 19, 2007, and has since then endorsed John McCain.
Jim Gilmore former Governor of Virginia	Jim Gilmore, a Draft for President group was formed in August of 2006, encouraging former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore to run for president after he was seen traveling to the presidential primary states. In November 2006, Gilmore told ABC News that a 2008 presidential run was one of several possibilities he's considering. On December 19, 2006, Gilmore announced he was forming an exploratory committee for a presidential candidacy. Gilmore announced on December 20, 2006, that he'd launch his exploratory committee on January 2, 2007. Perhaps hoping to mirror the surprising 2004 campaign of Democrat Howard Dean, another former governor with little national recognition when he entered the race, Gilmore declared that he represents "the Republican wing of the Republican Party" echoing the popular Dean quotation. Gilmore declared his candidacy from the Des Moines, Iowa GOP headquarters on April 26, 2007. Gilmore, however, raised a mere $380,000 in the first half of 2007, which he cited as a reason why he withdrew from the presidential race on July 14, 2007. He has since then endorsed John McCain.(External Link)
Representative Duncan Hunter	Duncan Hunter, born May 31, 1948, in Riverside, California, U.S. Representative from that state and former Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Hunter formally announced his presidential candidacy in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on January 25, 2007. He is known for his strong stance against illegal immigration, and opposition to free trade agreements like North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization. He introduced H.R. 552, The Right to Life Act, "to implement equal protection . . . for the right to life of each born and preborn human person"; it has over 100 co-sponsors. Hunter withdrew from the race on January 19, 2008 after a poor showing in the Nevada Republican caucuses. He has since then endorsed Mike Huckabee.
Governor Mike Huckabee	Mike Huckabee, born August 24 1955, governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007.Huckabee is the author of several books, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, a public speaker, and a musician; he plays bass guitar in his rock band, Capitol Offense. He is well known for having lost in a very short time and then advocating a healthy lifestyle. He and his wife, Janet, have three grown children: John Mark, David, and Sarah. He announced his candidacy on January 28, 2007. Following losses to John McCain in the Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island primaries, he ended his presidential campaign the evening of March 4, 2008, and endorsed him the next day.
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts(Campaign site)	Mitt Romney, born March 12, 1947, in Michigan, is former Governor of Massachusetts; he didn't seek a second term in November 2006. Romney is running on his record as co-founder of Bain Capital, the CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and his record as Governor of Massachusetts. Although he ran as a moderate for the office of Governor of Massachusetts and during his failed Senate bid in 1994, he supported more conservative positions as his term progressed. Romney formed a presidential exploratory committee on January 3, 2007, the day he left the governor's office. Romney officially announced his candidacy on February 13, 2007 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. On February 7, 2008, Romney announced that he was withdrawing from the race. Since then, he's endorsed John McCain for President.
Representative Tom Tancredo	Tom Tancredo, born December 20, 1945, in Colorado, U.S. Representative from that state and leading advocate for more restrictive immigration policies. On April 2, 2007, Rep. Tancredo announced his official candidacy on Iowa talk radio station 1040 WHO. Tancredo has a dedicated grassroots following among paleoconservatives. He has visited early Presidential primary states such as New Hampshire, Michigan and Iowa to begin building popular support and has polled favorably amongst grassroots Republicans. Tancredo announced on January 16, 2007, that he was forming an exploratory committee. Tancredo was one of three who raised his hand in the May 3, 2007, Republican candidates debate when asked "Is there anybody on the stage who doesn't believe in evolution?"." On December 20, 2007, Tancredo withdrew from the race and endorsed Mitt Romney. Since Romney has withdrawn from the race, Tancredo has endorsed John McCain.
Fred Thompson, former Senator of Tennessee	Fred Dalton Thompson, born August 19, 1942, former Senator from Tennessee and actor, best known for playing D.A. Arthur Branch on Law & Order. There was speculation that Thompson would run for Governor of Tennessee in 2006, but he declined to run against the popular Governor Phil Bredesen. On March 11, 2007, Thompson said "I'm giving some thought to it. Going to leave the door open. A lot of people think it's late already. I don't really think it is, although the rules of the game have changed somewhat. ... I think people are somewhat disillusioned. I think a lot of people are cynical out there. I think they're looking for something different." On June 1, Thompson announced he'd established a preliminary campaign committee, thus taking his first formal step toward an official presidential bid. On September 5, he officially entered the presidential race. On January 22, 2008 he dropped out of the race, and has since then endorsed John McCain.
Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin	Tommy Thompson, born November 19, 1941, in Elroy, Wisconsin, is the former four-term Governor of Wisconsin and was Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He recently announced interest in the 2008 nomination and, on December 15, 2006, announced that he'd formed an exploratory committee. He officially announced his candidacy on April 1, 2007. After a poor showing in the August 11 Iowa Straw Poll, Tommy Thompson announced on the following day that he's withdrawing from the race, and endorsed Rudy Giuliani. Since Giuliani has withdrawn from the race, Thompson has thrown his support behind John McCain.

Other candidates

The following candidates have filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

Others

Declined to seek nomination

Potential candidates who decided against running
George Allen, former Senator	George Allen, was the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election. In a survey of 175 Washington insiders conducted by National Journal's "The Hotline" and released April 29, 2005. Prior to his November loss to Jim Webb in the 2006 Virginia senatorial race, Allen had traveled a number of times to Iowa — the first state with a presidential caucus — and New Hampshire — the first state with a presidential primary). He had been widely assumed to be preparing a run for president. On December 10, 2006, Allen gave an interview in which he stated that he wouldn't seek the 2008 nomination. He has endorsed John McCain for president.
Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida	Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida; his family connections and history indicate that he may be next in line to continue the Bush family legacy, although his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, has stated that he won't seek the 2008 Republican nomination, and many analysts state that he'd be a natural frontrunner for the Vice President slot on the Republican ticket. On January 27, 2007, as the keynote speaker at the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit in Washington, D.C., Bush denied rumors that he'd run for President in 2008, but “when questioned didn't rule out running as a vice presidential candidate.” Governor Bush has endorsed John McCain.
Vice President Dick Cheney	Dick Cheney, current Vice President of the United States, has asserted his intent to not seek the 2008 nomination several times throughout the presidency of George W. Bush. He has since then, endorsed John McCain.
Bill Frist, former Senate Majority Leader	Bill Frist, former Senator from Tennessee and former Senate Majority Leader, stated on November 29, 2006 that he doesn't intend to seek the nomination but wants to go back to practicing medicine.
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House	Newt Gingrich was the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and former U.S. Representative from Georgia. According to the Associated Press, "The former House speaker who led Republicans to power a decade ago said he soon will visit Iowa and New Hampshire to promote his book, try to influence public policy and keep his political options alive." The AP reported him as saying "Anything seems possible," including a White House race. Gingrich first explicitly suggested he may run in 2008 on October 13, 2005, saying "There are circumstances where I'll run", elaborating that such circumstances would be if no other candidate champions the major platform ideas that Gingrich advocates. However, he's since then said that the odds of his becoming a candidate are 4-to-1 against. However, on September 20, Gingrich said that he'd consider running for president if his supporters could raise $30 million in pledges by the end of October. On September 29, 2007, Gingrich's spokesman Rick Tyler announced that Gingrich wouldn't run for president.
Senator Chuck Hagel	Chuck Hagel is the senior US Senator from Nebraska; however, he swore a pledge to only serve two terms, and thus won't be running for re-election to the Senate in 2008. According to NPR, Hagel was considering a Presidential campaign in 2005. There were also a number of Draft Hagel blogs and groups online. On March 12, 2007, Hagel made a statement on his political future, in which he kept open the possibility to enter the presidential race later in the year. Despite being a fairly conservative Republican, he'd have had to deal with elements of the party faithful due to his criticism of President Bush over the war in Iraq. It is widely thought that Senator Hagel would have had trouble emerging from the shadow of John McCain, as they're both outspoken Vietnam veterans. On September 10, 2007, Hagel announced that he wouldn't seek the nomination.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice	Condoleezza Rice, currently the Secretary of State, said in March 2005 on Meet the Press, and elsewhere, that she doesn't intend to run for President, but can't rule it out. In an August 8-10, 2005, Republican primary poll in Iowa, Rice came in first with 30 percent, beating McCain and Giuliani, who each got about 15 percent. In October 2005, Condi vs. Hillary, a book by political commentator Dick Morris, discussing Rice as the Republican candidate, was published. She has since endorsed John McCain.
Governor Mark Sanford	Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina; popular with fiscal conservatives, but has said he doesn't intend to run. Sanford professes to be a firm supporter of limited government, and many pundits have described his views as being libertarian in nature. There are several Internet-based groups trying to convince him to run for President in 2008. However, on November 7, 2006, he said that his gubernatorial race at that point would be his last campaign, win or lose. On March 15, he endorsed John McCain for President in a Wall Street Journal piece.
Rick Santorum, former Senator	Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania; A number of polls had mentioned him as a potential Republican candidate. Once he lost his seat to his Democratic opponent, Pennsylvania treasurer Bob Casey, Jr., a run for the Presidency became decidedly less likely and on November 17, 2006, in regard to a Presidential bid, he stated "Absolutely, positively not. Absolutely not, my wife would throw me out of the house if I do anything in '08." He has endorsed Mitt Romney in the race for president. Since Romney has dropped out, Santorum has endorsed John McCain for president.

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