For the second presidential election in a row, Democrats have an obvious “heir apparent” for the nomination, while Republicans, for the third election in a row, have a crowded field with no obvious first choice candidate.
In the olden days, it was Democrats who had the messy and unpredictable primaries, while Republicans dutifully lined up behind the establishment choice. But, the concurrent rise of the Tea Party and Hillary Clinton has helped to throw that traditional model out of whack. …
(To those of you tsk tsk-ing a column devoted to an election that is still three years away, I ask you this: Would you rather read another column about Washington paralysis and dysfunction? Or would you rather at least ponder the unpredictable? I thought so.) [cont.]
Amy Walter