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JILL STEIN

Who is she?

A Massachusetts resident and physician, she is a candidate of nearly Stassen-like frequency, having run for president in 2012 and a slew of other offices before that.

Is she running?

Yes. Stein announced in June 2015 that she would again seek the nomination of the Green Party, which she won in 2012. The Green Party will formally select its candidate in Houston, this year at their Presidential Nominating Convention on August 6.

Who wants her to run?

Stein seems to have strong support with the Green Party. She managed to collect nearly 500,000 votes in 2012—the party’s strongest showing since Ralph Nader’s disastrous 2000 run but well short of the 2.9 million votes he got.

What are her prospects?

Stein hopes to capitalize on the presence of Sanders backers who won’t back Clinton. So far, her attempts have been rocky. Most Sanders backers say they’ll vote for Clinton, and she’s hit turbulence over her flirtation with vaxers.

Who is her running mate? Ajamu Baraka, who doesn’t like Bernie, Barack, or Beyonce.

Does her website have a good 404 page?

Possibly not original, but kind of soothing and on-message.

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GARY JOHNSON

Who is he?

Oh come on, you remember Gary! He ran for the GOP nomination in 2012 and then got the Libertarian Party nod after that didn’t work out. He was previously a two-term governor of New Mexico. More recently he ran a company that sells THC lozenges.

Is he running?

Sure is. On May 29, Johnson won the 2016 nomination at the Libertarian convention, edging candidates from the highly touted newcomer Austin Petersen to outlandish oddball former tech titan John McAfee.

Who wants him to run?

As his company’s site notes, “Now that he’s associated with what is being hailed the best legal cannabis product on the market, Gary may be drafted for President of the United States by a grateful nation one day.” Johnson is also an unusually talented and successful politician to vie for the Libertarian line. The 1.3 million votes he collected in 2012 were the party’s all-time high—so to speak.

What are his prospects?

Earlier this year, he told my colleague Nora Kelly, “I have no delusions of grandeur here. I know what happened last time.” But with a sizable chunk of Republicans rejecting Donald Trump, many analysts believe the LP will turn in its strongest performance ever.

Who is his running mate? William Weld, the former moderate Republican governor of Massachusetts.

Does his website have a good 404 page?

No.

EVAN MCMULLIN

Who is he?

Great question. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and former CIA operative and Goldman Sachs banker, McMullin was until recently chief policy director of the House Republican Conference.

Is he running?

Yes. McMullin announced his independent candidacy on August 8, 2016.

Who wants him to run?

McMullin is backed by some leading anti-Trump Republicans, including the colorful-quote-dispensing strategist Rick Wilson. McMullin says he offers a choice to voters who reject Clinton and Trump.

What are his prospects?

Non-existent. McMullin is the latest in a string of hopes for anti-Trump Republicans. Skeptics pointed out that David French, the last such prospect, who declined to run, had nearly no profile outside of conservative media. But McMullin is an even lesser-known quantity; McKay Coppins reports he had just 135 Twitter followers before he announced his run. Being a CIA and Goldman alum may not be an asset either. The good news is that he is, at 40 years old, old enough to be president.

* * *

Out of the Running

Republicans

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JOHN KASICH

Who is he?

The current Ohio governor ran once before, in 2000, after a stint as Republican budget guru in the House. Between then and his election in 2010, he worked at Lehman Brothers. Molly Ball wrote a definitive profile in April 2015.

Is he running?

No. Kasich announced his departure on May 4 in Columbus. That’s the same place where he jumped in, on July 21, 2015, at the Ohio State University in Columbus.

Who wanted him to run?

At the outset, some white-collar and moderate Republicans. By the end, maybe a few #NeverTrump dead-enders. Kasich’s pitch was that he had fiscal-conservative bona fides, could win blue-collar voters, and he has won twice in a crucial swing state. That just never caught on outside of Ohio, though.

Could he have won the nomination?

No.

What else do we know?

John Kasich bought a Roots CD and hated it so much he threw it out of his car window. John Kasich hated the Coen brothers’ classic Fargo so much, he tried to get his local Blockbuster to quit renting it. George Will laughed at him. John Kasich is the Bill Brasky of philistinism. John Kasich probably hated that skit, too.

Does his website have a good 404 page?

Nope.

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TED CRUZ

Who is he?

Cruz served as deputy assistant attorney general in the George W. Bush administration and was appointed Texas solicitor general in 2003. In 2012, he ran an insurgent campaign to beat a heavily favored establishment Republican for Senate.

Is he running?

No. Cruz launched his campaign March 23, 2015, at Liberty University in Virginia but dropped out on May 3, 2016, after losing Indiana and concluding that he had no path to the nomination.

Who wanted him to run?

Hard-core conservatives; social conservatives; and, as the field winnowed, a growing group of Republicans who detested Cruz but still liked him better than Trump, perhaps best personified by Lindsey Graham.

Could he have won the nomination?

In retrospect it’s easy to explain why he didn’t. For one thing, Cruz would have been the most conservative candidate his party had nominated—probably ever, and certainly since Barry Goldwater. For another, it’s very hard to win when many members of your party detest you and voters don’t like you much either. But because he was the last man really standing against Trump, it seemed like he might be able to marshal a motley coalition to win. He was not.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

No.

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PAUL RYAN

Who is he?

The U.S. representative from Wisconsin is speaker of the House, an intellectual leader of the Republican Party, and the GOP’s 2012 vice-presidential nominee.

Is he running?

No. Or yes. It depends who you ask. After a surge of draft-Ryan pleas and accusations that he was running a shadow campaign, Ryan held a press conference April 12 to shut the door definitively. Or try to. Can anyone really rule Ryan out until someone else is formally named the nominee?

Who wants him to run?

Desperate Republican insiders. They fear and loathe Donald Trump, who is a loose cannon with barely any tether to conservative principles, much less the Republican Party; but they also personally despise Ted Cruz, who they also think would lose a general election. Ryan’s the most obvious figure left on the board.

Can he win the nomination?

Since he’s not running, it would require a very different kind of campaign. First, Trump would have to fail to win the nomination outright with delegates. Then, he and Cruz (and John Kasich) would all have to fail to win on subsequent ballots at the Republican National Convention. Then someone would have to put him forth, he’d have to agree, and the fractious party would have to align around him. It’s not impossible to imagine, but it’s not an easy path in any way.

What else do we know?

Mike Allen’s Politico Playbook, a favorite inside-the-Beltway tipsheet, has been on the frontlines of pumping up a Ryan bid. For a more skeptical view, read Liam Donovan at National Review.

Does his website have a good 404 page?

He doesn’t have one. Yet.

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MARCO RUBIO

Who is he?

A second-generation Cuban American and former speaker of the Florida House, Rubio was catapulted to national fame in the 2010 Senate election, after he unexpectedly upset Governor Charlie Crist to win the GOP nomination.

Is he running?

No. He announced on April 13, 2015, but dropped out on March 15, 2016, after losing his home stage of Florida.

Who wanted him to run?

In the end, not nearly enough people. Rubio was seen as a candidate who could bridge solid conservative orthodoxy with a young, charismatic demeanor. As Donald Trump rose, the party establishment coalesced around Rubio, but as it became clear he couldn’t win, his support collapsed.

Could he have won the nomination?

Until Super Tuesday, Rubio seemed to hold the second-choice slot, right behind Trump. But his stumble that day is causing many observers to reassess whether he can actually win. In withdrawing, Rubio suggested he was simply not well-suited to the negative tone of this year’s primary.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

It’s decent.

Gage Skidmore

BEN CARSON

Who is he?

A celebrated former head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, Carson became a conservative folk hero after a broadside against Obamacare at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast.

Is he running?

No. He skipped the March 3 GOP debate and suspended his campaign on March 4.

Who wanted him to run?

Grassroots conservatives. Carson has an incredibly appealing personal story—a voyage from poverty to pathbreaking neurosurgery—and none of the taint of politics.

Could he have won the nomination?

No. Carson was undone by his own lack of knowledge and interest in policy and his failure to hire the right people to get him up to speed. If it’s any consolation, history weighed heavily against Carson’s chances all along: Not since Dwight Eisenhower has either party nominated anyone without prior elected experience for the presidency.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

No.

Gage Skidmore

JEB BUSH

Who is he?

The brother and son of presidents, Bush served two terms as governor of Florida, from 1999 to 2007.

Is he running?

No. Bush suspended his campaign on February 20 after coming in fourth in South Carolina.

Who wanted him to run?

Establishment Republicans; George W. Bush; major Wall Street donors.

Could he have won the nomination?

When he entered the race, Bush became an instant front-runner, but when Donald Trump jumped in, he displaced Bush, and Bush never recovered. Could he have done things differently and ended up with a win? It’s possible. But Bush had great connections, the staff he wanted, and stupendous fundraising, and he still botched it—which strongly suggests he just wasn’t a candidate who ever had a chance.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

Yes—y en español también.

Gage Skidmore

JIM GILMORE

Who is he?

Right? Gilmore was governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. Before that, he chaired the Republican National Committee for a year. In 2008, he ran for Senate in Virginia and lost to Mark Warner by 31 points.

Is he running?

No. He announced on February 12 that he would end his campaign.

Who wanted him to run?

Who knows?

Could he have won the nomination?

Nah.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

Holy Freudian slip, Batman!

Gage Skidmore

CARLY FIORINA

Who is she?

Fiorina rose through the ranks to become CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005, before being ousted in an acrimonious struggle. She advised John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and unsuccessfully challenged Senator Barbara Boxer of California in 2010.

Is she running?

No longer. Fiorina dropped out on February 10, following a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary. Fiorina also spent seven days in late April and early May as Ted Cruz’s running mate—by some measures, the shortest such stint ever.

Who wanted her to run?

She was a business-friendly candidate with a talent for a sharp turn of phrase or jab. But it was never exactly clear what Fiorina’s constituency was going to be, and a strong following never materialized.

Could she have won the nomination?

No. Fiorina couldn’t crack 5 percent in New Hampshire and was already off the debate stage when she dropped out.

What else do we know?

Fiorina’s unsuccessful 2010 Senate race against Barbara Boxer produced two of the most entertaining and wacky political ads ever, “Demon Sheep” and the nearly eight-minute epic commonly known as “The Boxer Blimp.”

Did her website have a good 404 page?

No.

David Shankbone

CHRIS CHRISTIE

Who is he?

What’s it to you, buddy? The combative New Jerseyan is in his second term as governor and previously served as a U.S. attorney.

Is he running?

No longer. He suspended his campaign on February 10.

Who wanted him to run?

Moderate and establishment Republicans who don’t like Jeb Bush or John Kasich; top businessmen, led by Home Depot founder Ken Langone.

Could he have won the nomination?

Maybe in 2012. This year, Christie staked his chances on New Hampshire, and he ended up a distant eighth. On the evening of February 9, he suggested he might drop out soon. But Christie was already probably toast. The tide of opinion had turned against Christie even before the “Bridgegate” indictments. Citing his horrific favorability numbers, FiveThirtyEight bluntly punned that “Christie's access lanes to the GOP nomination are closed.”

Did his website have a good 404 page?

We would have gone with the GIF, but sure.

Gage Skidmore

RICK SANTORUM

Who is he?

Santorum represented Pennsylvania in the Senate from 1995 until his defeat in 2006. He was the runner-up for the GOP nomination in 2012.

Is he running?

No. He dropped out on February 3.

Who wanted him to run?

Social conservatives. The former Pennsylvania senator didn't have an obvious constituency in 2012, yet he still went a long way, and Foster Friess, who bankrolled much of Santorum’s campaign then, was ready for another round.

Could he have won the nomination?

Never. As much as Santorum felt he deserved more respect for his 2012 showing, neither voters nor the press seemed inclined to give it to him, and he remained trapped in the basement. Even in Iowa, which he narrowly won in 2012, he came in almost last, ahead of only Jim Gilmore.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

No.

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RAND PAUL

Who is he?

An ophthalmologist and the son of libertarian icon Ron Paul, he rode the 2010 Republican wave into the Senate, representing Kentucky.

Is he running?

No. He suspended his campaign on February 3.

Who wanted him to run?

Some Ron Paul fans; Tea Partiers; libertarians; civil libertarians; noninterventionist Republicans.

Could he have won the nomination?

Once tabbed by Time as the most interesting man in politics, he failed to elicit much interest from voters. The deathwatch stories in December (and September and October) were clearly premature, but they weren’t wrong.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

No.

Gage Skidmore

MIKE HUCKABEE

Who is he?

An ordained preacher, a former governor of Arkansas, and a Fox News host, he ran a strong campaign in 2008, finishing third but sat out in 2012.

Is he running?

No. Huckabee dropped out on February 1 after pulling less than 2 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses.

Who wanted him to run?

Social conservatives; evangelical Christians.

Could he have won the nomination?

No. Evangelicals, his old base, flocked to Ted Cruz instead. Huckabee’s answer was to play a populist, but that never really took.

Did his website have a good 404 page?

It’s pretty good.

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LINDSEY GRAHAM

Who is he?

A senator from South Carolina, he’s John McCain’s closest ally in the small caucus of Republicans who are moderate on many issues but very hawkish on foreign policy.

Is he running?

No sir. Graham kicked off the campaign June 1, 2015, but suspended it on December 21.

Who wanted him to run?

John McCain, naturally; Senator Kelly Ayotte, possibly; Joe Lieberman, maybe?

Could he have won the nomination?

No. But he had some fun in losing it.

What else do we know?

Graham promised to have a rotating first lady if he won. We were rooting for Lana del Rey.