The calendar has barely turned to 2015, but next year’s race for the GOP White House nomination is already shaping up, as several favorites and dark-horse contenders have recently made high-profile moves to position themselves for a bid.
Perhaps the most noteworthy is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who declared last month that he is actively exploring a presidential run. Earlier this week, The Washington Post reported that he resigned from his remaining board memberships, which an aide said is “a natural next step as he turns his focus to gauging whether there is support for a potential candidacy.”
Mr. Bush also donated $10,000 to a fund for the families of slain New York Police Department Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were killed Dec. 19 in an ambush attack by Ismaaiyl Brinsley after weeks of racially-charged protests in the city.
Meanwhile, Texas Sen. and tea party favorite Ted Cruz is scheduled to be a featured speaker at the fourth annual South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention to be held Jan. 17-19 in Myrtle Beach.
Joe Dugan, founder and executive producer of the convention, said Friday that the event will also feature training classes for grassroots leaders and activists and panel discussions.
The convention offers a platform for possible 2016 contenders to pitch their message to potential voters in the early presidential state; other speakers scheduled to appear include retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cruz, Mr. Santorum and Mr. Carson are also scheduled to head to Iowa — home to the first-in-the-nation caucuses — the following week for GOP Rep. Steve King’s Iowa Freedom Summit along with a number of other possible 2016 contenders, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Mr. Bush declined an invitation to appear at the event from Mr. King, a conservative hardliner, notably on immigration, with an aide this week citing a scheduling conflict, according to the AP.
Mr. Carson, who rose to prominence in conservative circles after his speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast that was considered critical of the Obama administration, also visited Israel last month for what he called “a fact-finding mission,” checking off one of several must-do boxes for potential candidates.
The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee, an independent political action committee formed to draft the retired neurosurgeon and author, has opened a 1,700-square-foot “Draft Ben Carson for President Victory Center” in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The group has already garnered 23,000 volunteers for Mr. Carson and raised $10.5 million for his potential White House campaign.
Another increasingly viable contender who has stoked 2016 speculation with a recent trip to Israel is Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a favorite among many conservatives. He has said a decision on a possible White House run will probably come sometime in the spring.
A Republican lawmaker in Indiana is introducing a measure that would allow Mr. Pence to run for re-election in 2016 while simultaneously running for president.
“I think it’s good for the state of Indiana to have a sitting governor in the national conversation and because of that I think it’s in our interest to make the obstacles and roadblocks for Pence as minimal as possible,” state Sen. Mike Delph told the Indianapolis Star.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Pence told the Star the issue is not on the governor’s agenda and he’d review the measure if it reached his desk.
Sen. Rand Paul, another possible 2016 contender, is looking for possible ways to work around a similar bar on simultaneous runs in Kentucky; the state House there is controlled by Democrats, making a legislative change to the law unlikely.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who faces a similar situation in Florida, has indicated that if he runs for president he would not try to seek re-election to the Senate.
• David Sherfinski contributed to this article, which is based in part on wire service reports.
• Staff can be reached at 202-636-3000.
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