1. A 2016 Huntsman run in Utah?
Mike Lee was proof in 2010 that the tea party movement was growing from protest movement to political force.
Lee stunned the GOP establishment by wresting the Republican nomination for a Senate seat in Utah from longtime incumbent Sen. Robert Bennett, and from that moment on has been a national tea party star.
Now, the establishment is looking to return the favor.
So far, no credible 2016 primary challenger has emerged despite frequent complaints about Lee from Utah business and GOP establishment figures.
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5. It’s February 2015, but might the clock be ticking for John Kasich?
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is off to South Carolina soon. Which means — you know what.
Officially, it’s part of his recent travels pushing a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. But Kasich won a big re-election in 2014 and is among a handful of GOP potential 2016 contenders who need to soon make tough choices.
Or, as The Atlantic’s Molly Ball reports, there is a clock ticking because a crowded Republican field means activists and fund-raisers are feeling pressure to pick sides.
“Time is running out for him to decide,” said Ball. “I spoke to him recently and he says he hasn’t made up his mind. People close to him think he really hasn’t decided what he’s going to do.”
