The following galleries feature individuals who have been the subject of media speculation that they may become candidates in the 2016 presidential election. Individuals listed below should have been mentioned as potential 2016 presidential candidates in at least two reliable media sources in the last six months.
Republican Party[]
After serving his consecutive second term, President John McCain will be term-limited out-of-office due to the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, a law ratified by the states since February 27, 1951. The following have been mentioned as possible candidates:
Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire since 2011
Michele Bachmann, U.S. Representative from Minnesota since 2007
Sam Brownback, Governor of Kansas since 2011, U.S. Senator from Kansas 1996-2011
Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida 1999-2007
Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey since 2010
Tom Corbett, Governor of Pennsylvania since 2011, Attorney General of Pennsylvania 1995-1997 & 2005-2011
Ted Cruz, Senator-elect from Texas, Solicitor General of Texas 2003-2008
Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana since 2005, Director of the Office of Management and Budget 2001-2003
Mary Fallin, Governor of Oklahoma since 2011
Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina since 2011
Mike Huckabee, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services 2009-2013, Governor of Arkansas 1996-2007, Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas 1993-1996
Jon Huntsman, Jr., United States Ambassador to China-nominee, United States Secretary of the Interior 2009-2013, Governor of Utah 2005-2009
Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana since 2008, U.S. Representative from Louisiana 2005-2008
John Kasich, Governor of Ohio since 2011, U.S. Representative from Ohio 1983-2001
Rand Paul, U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 2011
Tim Pawlenty, Vice President of the United States since 2009, Governor of Minnesota 2003-2009
Mike Pence, Governor-elect of Indiana, U.S. Representative from Indiana since 2001
[[Rick Perry, Governor of Texas since 2000, Lieutenant Governor of Texas 1999-2000
Rob Portman, U.S. Senator from Ohio since 2011, Director of the Office of Management and Budget 2006-2007