September 8, 2007 7:30 PM
The Field
The field has diminished only slightly with Tommy Thompson's announcement, after the Iowa Straw Poll, that he is out of the race.Technically there are 8 Republicans and 8 Democrats still in the race. The reality is something else.
There is 1 Republican likely yet to get in - Fred Thompson - and 2 Republicans who are still in the "wait and see" mode, Newt Gingrich and Chuck Hagel.
There is 1 Democrat in the "wait and see" mode - Al Gore. There are long shots in the field, e.g., Republican Mike Huckabee; and then there are the "longest of long shots," e.g., Democrat Dennis Kucinich.
The chart that follows has been modified accordingly.
There is still no word as to whether the Green Party will field a candidate. Mike Bloomberg has said quite specifically that he will not be a candidate, and Sam Nunn has now suggested that he might enter as an Independent candidate,the "Unity '08" banner.
| Name | Talks About Running | Set up Explore Committee | Announces Presidential Bid | Out of the Game |
| Republican | ||||
| Gingrich | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Giuliani | X | 11/20/06 | ||
| Hagel | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Huckabee | X | 1/27/07 | 1/28/07 | |
| McCain | X | 11/15/06 | 11/15/06 | |
| Romney | X | 1/3/07 | 1/3/07 | |
| Fred Thompson | X | (wait and see) | ||
| [Longest of long shots] | ||||
| Brownback | X | 12/4/06 | 12/20/07 | |
| Hunter | X | 1/12/01 | 1/25/07 | |
| Paul | X | 1/11/07 | 3/12/07 | |
| Tancredo | X | 1/16/07 | 4/2/07 | |
| [Out or not likely to enter] | ||||
| Allen | X | ---- | ---- | No start |
| Cox | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Frist | X | ---- | ---- | 11/29/06 |
| Gilmore | X | 1/9/07 | 1/9/07 | 7/14/07 |
| Keating | X | ---- | ---- | 1/18/07 |
| Pataki | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Santorum | X | ---- | ---- | No start |
| Tommy Thompson | X | 12/15/06 | 4/4/07 | 8/12/07 |
| Independent | ||||
| Nunn | X | |||
| Bloomberg | X | (Says will not run 8/21/07) | ||
| Green Party | ||||
| Nader | X | |||
| Democrat | ||||
| Biden | X | ---- | 1/7/07 | |
| Clinton | X | 1/20/07 | 1/22/07 | |
| Dodd | X | ---- | 1/10/07 | |
| Edwards | X | 1/3/07 | ||
| Gore | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Obama | X | 1/16/07 | 2/10/07 | |
| Richardson | X | 1/22/07 | 1/22/07 | |
| [Longest of long shots] | ||||
| Gravel | X | ---- | 4/4/06 | |
| Kucinich | X | ---- | 12/29/06 | |
| [Out or not likely to enter] | ||||
| Clark | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Daschle | X | ---- | ---- | No start |
| Bayh | X | 12/3/06 | ---- | 12/16/06 |
| Feingold | X | ---- | ---- | 11/12/06 |
| Kerry | X | 1/24/07 | ||
| Sharpton | X | (wait and see) | ||
| Vilsack | X | ---- | 11/9/06 | 2/23/07 |
| Warner | X | ---- | ---- | 10/12/06 |
