It’s less surprising that the governors eyeing the White House have come to the same conclusion. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Ohio Gov. John Kasich all have indicated they are mulling the opportunity to run for president. Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee, two former governors with familiar names, also are considering the race.
And there’s mounting evidence several are moving closer toward pulling the 2016 trigger.
Bush, the candidate who casts the largest shadow over the potential field, appears to be getting more comfortable with the prospect of a national campaign. Allies are spreading the word that his wife is on board and shortly after the midterm election, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi – a friend of Bush’s – began telling lobbyists and donors that “it’s a done deal, he’s in,” according to a person familiar with the conversations. On Monday, the University of South Carolina announced Bush as its winter commencement speaker. That Dec. 15 event will mark his second trip to an early primary state this year.
Walker tells U.S. News he’s being encouraged by donors and activists to take the plunge following his third gubernatorial victory in just four years in a state Republicans haven’t carried in a presidential election since 1984. “There would be a lot of support,” he says.
Christie, who has indicated he won’t make a decision on 2016 until next year, made abundantly clear at the Republican Governors Association post-election conference last week that aspirants only carrying legislative skills don’t have the proper preparation for the presidency.
“We’re better at it than people who do not have experience in running large enterprises. I think the American people are done with that experiment of having somebody coming out of the legislative body who’s never run anything before,” he said at a press conference.