Election 2016: How many Declared Candidates Are There For President of the United States?

By Rich Kozlovich

This may be the strangest election season ever in the United States.  As of August 13, 2015 there were 88 candidates who’ve declared they wish to be President of the United States from multiple parties with a number of potentials who’ve yet to declare one way or the other.

 

Anyone who thinks they actually want to be President of the United States has to have an ego way larger than any normal person, but for some of these people I'm convinced they merely want their obituary to say they ran in the 2016 election for POTUS, because most of them will never be on the ballot of any state. 

 

In order to  win you must get on the ballot of every state.  That requires organizations in each state and money….big money.  Some may be on a few ballots, but in so few states they can only hope for write in ballots in order to be elected - which is clearly delusionary.

 

Eighty eight!  Can you imagine? Is this going to be the trend for all elections from now on?  I don't know, but we should be aware there have always been a larger number of declared candidates than the public has been made aware.  But - and I'm guessing as I don't want to do the research for find out for sure - I don’t think it’s ever been this deep or this wide, and the question should be -  why now? 

Some years ago I read a book called the E-Myth where-in the author declared most people who start businesses aren’t really entrepreneurs.  In fact he states  there are very few “actual” entrepreneurs.  He reasoned – and I think reasonably – most people who start business are the “technicians” who do the actual work and are fed up with their bosses who they think are idiots.

Then one day when they reach the breaking point they conclude their boss is such an idiot and a screw up that if someone like him can run a business they surely can also – and start their own company.

I think we’re seeing the consequences of two terms of Dumb and Dumber.  Almost everyone believes they could do a better job than this batch of morally and intellectually challenged officials – elected and otherwise - and I think this is true for the Congress also.   And truthfully – I think many of them are right!  Having said that, the only thing scarier than the current batch of compassless “leaders” are the moral and intellectual mutants of all the various leftwing groups currently running candidates.

Democratic Presidential Candidates - There are 18 declared candidates, with two potentials.  Howell Astor, Jeff Boss, Morrison Bonpasse , Harry Braun , Andy Caffrey , Willie Carter, Lincoln Chafee, Hillary Clinton, Cody Robert Judy, Lloyd Kelso , Martin O'Malley, Bernie Sanders, Doug Shreffler, Michael Steinberg, Willie Wilson, Jim Webb, Robby Wells, Brad Winslow.  With Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren listed as potential candidates.

Republican Presidential Candidates.  There are 38 declared candidates with one potential. Skip Andrews, George Bailey, Michael Bickelmeyer, Kerry Bowers, Jeb Bush, Dr. Ben Carson, Eric Cavanagh, Dale Christensen, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Brooks Cullison, John Dummett, Jr., Mark Everson, Jack Fellure, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, Jim Hayden, Chris Hill, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, Bartholomew James Lower, Andy Martin, James C. Mitchell, Jr., K. Ross Newland, Esteban Oliverez, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Michael Petyo, Marco Rubio, Brian Russell, Rick Santorum, Jefferson Sherman, Shawna Sterling, Donald Trump, Scott Walker.  With Bob Ehrlich listed as a potential.

Third Party Presidential Candidates. This includes,  America's Third Party,  Constitution Party,  Greens, Independents, Libertarians, Reform Party,  Socialists, and believe it or not….the Transhumanist Party.  There are 32 declared candidates with four undeclared potentials.  Ed Baker, Dean Capone, Paul Chehade, Scott Copeland, James "JD" Criveau, Ken Cross, Art Drew,  Mark Dutter, Marc Feldman, Martin Hahn, David Holcomb, Cecil Ince, Zoltan Istvan, Lynn Sandra Kahn, Steve Kerbel, Chad Koppie, Bishop Julian Lewis, Jr., Perry Morcom, J.R. Myers, Mark Pendleton, Jeremiah Pent, Darryl Perry, Derrick Michael, Reid Ryan, Shepard Scott, Smith David, Jon Sponheim, Tami Stainfield, Robert Steele, Jill Stein Samm, Tittle Joy Waymire, Benjamin Weigel.  With four undeclared potentials, Chuck Baldwin, Gary Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, R. Lee Wrights

When the dust settles will there only be two left this year?  Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!  But then - he was a fictional character!