The GOP's Presidential Candidates to Begin Debates!

The list grows as more and more GOP hopefuls jump in the Republican presidential race. Ted Cruz, the Senator from Texas, was the first to announce, then came Florida Senator Marco Rubio both Cuban Americans. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, a Detroit native is the only black, and the lone outspoken female is former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive, Carly Fiorina from California. Governor Bobby Jindal from Louisiana was the last minority candidate to announce. The rest are the ‘old white men’ who are hoping to fill the empty seat at the White House come November 2016. The GOP has earned the ‘old white men’ label from not having minorities as presidential candidates. This time around we have five minorities vying for the White House but not sure if the only female, Fiorina, and Jindal will make the first debate.

Since there are 15 candidates, I’m not going to go into detail about each one now, but I will once the debates begin. As conservatives, we should be supporting someone strong enough to pull our country from the abyss as it continues to plummet at a very fast pace. Our nominee must be a godly person first and foremost. Naturally, America needs someone who will understand the Constitution in order to bring the rule of law back into our society, as lawlessness is now rampant throughout our nation. We cannot have bedlam if we want to stimulate our economy and produce job opportunities. Ted Cruz, a courageous conservative, is a moral man and can also offer stability to our nation. He has also proven himself as a constitutionalist by standing in front of the Supreme Court and winning his cases.

The top five, in my opinion, from polls and from what I read and from what I believe are Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, who is leading in most polls. I personally do not see any of the candidates that filed in 2012 winning the nomination: Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, and while Rick Perry was elected governor of Texas for three terms, his "Oops" moment in 2012 is set in stone and will be hard to overcome. The American public is craving for new ideas, and fresh faces. Trump should not receive the nomination because most people want substance and someone who will take action and not just ‘cheap talk’! Rand Paul has a following but a Libertarian has never won an election and neither has a candidate from a third party. Ben Carson though very well-liked and respected is an excellent neurosurgeon but his lack of experience will keep him from the White House. Lindsey Graham is too much like John McCain, and I doubt he will even carry his state of South Carolina. Cruz has been actively working South Carolina and so has Perry, but if you recall, Perry lost South Carolina in 2012. Chris Christie’s image embracing Obama is hard to forget, and the bridge scandal that just will not die in New Jersey will hurt his chances for the nomination. George Pataki is a former New York mayor and is having his last hurrah. It would be historic to see a Republican woman get the nomination but Carly Fiorina does not have the money or the support to win.

The debates are just around the corner, and the first debate is scheduled for August 6 on Fox News. We should all listen very carefully as I believe this debate will set the tone for the rest of the debates. Incredible that the 'all about me' candidate, Trump doesn’t seem to care what he says or who he insults. It will be interesting if his mouth doesn’t set off some fireworks and of course the negative publicity that will ensue. We have to be optimistic that besides Cruz there will be several other candidates that will debate with civility and dignity.

Fox News has not revealed how they will choose the candidates for the first debate other than those making the top 10 in the polls will be featured. It appears that it’s close among Rick Perry, Chris Christie and Rick Santorum for the number 10 spot. We will just have to wait and see who makes the top 10 on August 6. Real Clear Politics does an excellent job of tracking the candidates and the polls. The Real Clear Politics average from June 26 to July 15 shows how well our candidates are doing or not doing.

Maybe you have already made your choice or maybe you are waiting for the debates to make your decision, regardless keep in mind that what this country needs most, in my opinion, is to have God restored to the White House. Here is hoping that the American public takes a serious look at the Republican candidates and not with the rage that seems to be infiltrating the public discourse.

Let’s see how many of my predictions on the candidates are accurate. It’s going to be a fascinating journey that our candidates take, and we should go along for the ride, because in reality no one knows who ends up with the gold ring. Let’s just say I’m voting REPUBLICAN because it’s time there is a positive change in the White House!

RED REPORT
Sonja Harris
Pray, Fight, NEVER GIVE UP!