GOP Presidential Primary Bracket

 

RNC officials are getting nervous about the presidential primary debates. It’s not that the party lacks good candidates, but that it has so many. To date six GOP hopefuls have announced, four have leaked that they will announce, and six have launched exploratory committees. Even more names are being tossed around in the news, prompting Republican officials to hint at limiting the number of debate participants:

A broad consensus is beginning to take hold among Republican party officials that the presidential primary debates shouldn’t include any more than a dozen candidates — despite the fact that there might be as many as 19 declared candidates by the time the primary debates start this August.

Though the precise criteria for debate participation ultimately will be decided by the networks staging them — and party leaders continue to insist nothing has been finalized — there is behind-the-scenes agreement here at the Republican National Committee spring meeting that the first debates should be capped at 12 candidates.

“Our goal is to accommodate as many candidates as possible at the beginning,” said Steve Duprey, the New Hampshire committeeman who chairs the RNC’s 2016 debate committee. “I think there’s consensus to cap it between nine and 12. And we may not need more than that, depending on how the contest goes. Each of the media partners may have different criteria and they’re going to evolve.”

Any excluded candidate would raise holy hell at this slight, even if his popularity droops somewhere between Jon Huntsman and a kidney stone. But unless debate organizers install bleachers, you aren’t going to fit 19 candidates on one stage.

I thought of a few ways to handle this challenge — a dance-off, Survivor-style reality show, Thunderdome — but all seemed too impractical (or gory). The only way we can thin the herd is to engage in some bracketology. I’ve used a bracket for another political issue, but in this case it could actually get results:

GOP Presidential Primary Bracket

The set-up is similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, but it starts with the Sweet Sixteen. Every candidate is seeded via the RealClearPolitics polling average and is matched up accordingly. Round One would feature eight half-hour debates, Round Two would have four 45 min. debates, and blammo, you’re down to four candidates. You can stop there, or keep it going for two more rounds to figure out the primary winner.

GOP-Bracket-JGI filled out my own version, not necessarily with who I think will win each match-up, but with who I’d prefer to win (see right). It was a clarifying exercise on my own priorities, but my only big upset was Jindal besting Bush.

Download a PDF version of the GOP Presidential Primary Bracket here and let me know your picks in the comments.

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  1. Nick Stuart Inactive
    Nick Stuart
    @NickStuart

    Have them all show up.

    Arrange 8 chairs in a circle on the stage.

    Start the hopefuls walking around the chairs to some suitable music (Ricochetti offer suggestions. “My Sharona” comes immediately to mind).

    When the music stops, everyone scrambles for a chair. Whoever doesn’t get a chair is off the stage and out of the debate.

    Sell tickets and pay-per-view and use the money to fund the Presidential Campaign of whoever gets the nomination.

    • #1
  2. Sabrdance Member
    Sabrdance
    @Sabrdance

    I liked Jonathan Last’s idea.  Divide them in half by polling.  Top half debates first.  Bottom half debate’s second.  At the end of both debates, poll the audience (Last suggests twitter -I want a little more buy-in, so I suggest American Idol style texting).  Top two from the bottom league move up, bottom two from the top move down.

    • #2
  3. iWc Coolidge
    iWc
    @iWe

    Doing it as a playoff works for me. I like any of the ideas that allow the candidates a real chance to make a mark against another – instead of facing down a whole field.

    The Presidential Debates will be between two people. So the primary debates should be, as well.

    • #3
  4. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Marco Rubio vs. Donald Trump?

    Duke vs. Robert Morris was closer than that. Rubio would be shooting free throws with his eyes closed for the entire second half.

    • #4
  5. iWc Coolidge
    iWc
    @iWe

    Use the polls to set the seeding. 1 plays 16, etc.

    • #5
  6. Tommy De Seno Member
    Tommy De Seno
    @TommyDeSeno

    Allow the top 5 who have raised the most money to participate.

    Should be interesting.

    • #6
  7. BThompson Inactive
    BThompson
    @BThompson

    Your seeds are off. Huckabee should be a 3 seed and Perry a 2 seed. Likewise, Carson should be a 4 seed in the Scott Walker bracket, while Graham could be a 3 seed in the Rubio bracket.

    • #7
  8. Jon Gabriel, Ed. Contributor
    Jon Gabriel, Ed.
    @jon

    BThompson:Your seeds are off. Huckabee should be a 3 seed and Perry a 2 seed. Likewise, Carson should be a 4 seed in the Scott Walker bracket, while Graham could be a 3 seed in the Rubio bracket.

    All the seeds come from the RCP polling average.

    • #8
  9. HeartofAmerica Inactive
    HeartofAmerica
    @HeartofAmerica

    Even more names are being tossed around in the news, prompting Republican officials to hint at limiting the number of debate participants:

    RNC speak for we will invite who we like and it won’t be Rand Paul.

    It’s bad enough for the left-wing media and Democratic party to control the narrative during the debates and if these debates are carried out like the 2008 and 2012 presidential years, we won’t get a chance to hear from all the candidates and that’s not acceptable.

    But Jon…I do like the Final Four idea. Kinda fun and none of this is fun anymore.

    • #9
  10. Ricochet Inactive
    Ricochet
    @MoxieMom

    I’m too lazy to construct a bracket, so I’ll approach this the way I handled college physics classes — work backwards from The Answer (or the Units).

    Whatever bracket construct gives me this foursome is what I’d want: Cruz, Perry, Jindal, and Nikki Haley. Since Governor Haley is – sadly – not running, replace her with Walker.

    • #10
  11. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    I say we send them each in to face Evander Holyfield. The 12 who last the longest get to debate each other.

    I intend for this all to happen in a single afternoon.

    • #11
  12. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    President Butterbean will see you now…

    • #12
  13. user_129539 Inactive
    user_129539
    @BrianClendinen

    I have often thought we should have this on Richoet with debates on the hot button issues. Oxford style debate were the final two winner on each position get to debate each other on the flagship Podcast. Only members can vote and Thatcher and Regan members get more than one vote.  Heck I could see people joining just so they could vote.

    • #13
  14. user_740349 Member
    user_740349
    @buzzbrockway

    I’d have preferred that Jindal and Rubio weren’t on the same side of the bracket because my dream ticket is Jindal/Rubio.  You heard it hear first: that’s a winning ticket. :-)  Here’s by bracket:
    madness

    • #14
  15. nonobadpony Inactive
    nonobadpony
    @nonobadpony

    I wouldn’t want to whittle the field down to four in a hurry.

    I would have three divisions:  The Senators,  The Governors and the Rest and then cede three person debate squads with one from each division.

    Let them debate in small three way debates all over the country in a road show.    Put each squad on a bus and let go at it every night for a month, each night in a different place.

    Have them debate at every county fair and GOP barbecue this summer all over the country.  Hit the blue states intensely.  Invite local reporters and media figures to moderate and submit questions.  This way they’d have to cover it.

    Charge $30 admission.  Split the gate with 1/3 to defray the cost of the venue,  1/3 for travel expenses and 1/3 to the candidate who wins the debate each night by a vote of the crowd.   Make it a horse race and get a lot of free press coverage for all the candidates and their ideas.

    Someone out of the field of dark horses would emerge.

    • #15
  16. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Jon Gabriel, Ed.: Though the precise criteria for debate participation ultimately will be decided by the networks staging them — and party leaders continue to insist nothing has been finalized — there is behind-the-scenes agreement here at the Republican National Committee spring meeting that the first debates should be capped at 12 candidates.

    This is not acceptable.

    • #16
  17. Ryan M Inactive
    Ryan M
    @RyanM

    I’ve invited all of them, individually, of course, to come on Flyover Country, Jon.  I’m hoping that someone will really shine and become the presumptive leader.

    Haven’t heard back for scheduling.  Not sure if maybe they wrote the phone number down wrong… you didn’t have any trouble getting ahold of me, right?  I’ll call Verizon in the morning.

    • #17
  18. Al Kennedy Inactive
    Al Kennedy
    @AlKennedy

    Jon, my final four: Perry, Walker, Rubio, Fiorina.

    • #18
  19. Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO) Inactive
    Louie Mungaray (Squishy Blue RINO)
    @SquishyBlueRINO

    Actually, Rubio defeats Anhedonia to face Walker in the final, I goofed it up a little.

    GOP Bracket

    • #19
  20. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Welcome, MoxieMom!

    • #20
  21. user_549556 Inactive
    user_549556
    @VinceGuerra

    Just put them in a Jeopardy tournament. The winner keeps playing against the next two in line.  In the end, the five or six who’ve won at least one game are in; and we’ll know who the smart ones are. If one wins all of them, will we really even need a debate at that point? I’ll put my money on the genius brain surgeon, but you never know.

    • #21
  22. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    I think if you are going to have so many people you should just have extra debates but limit the number of participants to no more than 6 at a time. Then after Iowa and New Hampshire you can limit it to the people who ranked 1-3 in either state. After Florida you can limit it to the top three over all.

    • #22
  23. Ryan M Inactive
    Ryan M
    @RyanM

    MoxieMom:I’m too lazy to construct a bracket, so I’ll approach this the way I handled college physics classes — work backwards from The Answer (or the Units).

    Whatever bracket construct gives me this foursome is what I’d want: Cruz, Perry, Jindal, and Nikki Haley. Since Governor Haley is – sadly – not running, replace her with Walker.

    Percival:Welcome, MoxieMom!

    Yes, I saw your tweet yesterday – Welcome!

    • #23
  24. Ryan M Inactive
    Ryan M
    @RyanM

    Vince Guerra:Just put them in a Jeopardy tournament. The winner keeps playing against the next two in line. In the end, the five or six who’ve won at least one game are in; and we’ll know who the smart ones are. If one wins all of them, will we really even need a debate at that point? I’ll put my money on the genius brain surgeon, but you never know.

    but it has to be relevant questions of politics and foreign policy.  I don’t want a president who can quote any line from pop culture of the past 30 years but doesn’t know what ISIS is.

    • #24
  25. Ricochet Inactive
    Ricochet
    @MoxieMom

    Ryan M:

    MoxieMom:I’m too lazy to construct a bracket, so I’ll approach this the way I handled college physics classes — work backwards from The Answer (or the Units).

    Whatever bracket construct gives me this foursome is what I’d want: Cruz, Perry, Jindal, and Nikki Haley. Since Governor Haley is – sadly – not running, replace her with Walker.

    Percival:Welcome, MoxieMom!

    Yes, I saw your tweet yesterday – Welcome!

    Thank you!

    • #25
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