Republican National Committee has 34 candidates in 2016 presidential straw poll

For evidence of the wide-open nature of the 2016 GOP field of potential presidential candidates, look no further than the Republican National Committee’s presidential straw poll, which contains 34 names of past and possibly future candidates.

That’s in contrast to the handful of potential candidates thought to have a realistic shot at the Democratic nomination, with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton the clear favorite in public polling on the Democratic side.

In alphabetical order, the RNC’s list is as follows:

• Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.

• Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.

• Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.

• Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

• Former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain.

• Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

• Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

• Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

• Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

• Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

• South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

• Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

• Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

• Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

• Rep. Peter King of New York.

• New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez.

• Former Alaska Gov. and 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

• Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

• Former Rep. Ron Paul of Texas.

• Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

• Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

• Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

• Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio.

• Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

• Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

• Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

• Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee.

• Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval.

• Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

• Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.

• Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.

• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

• Former Rep. Allen West of Florida.

https://gop.com/presidential-straw-poll/