Democrat operative and Obama campaign manager Jim Messina is giving major early props to several GOP governors whom he believes could be formidable competitors in a 2016 presidential race,
The Hill reports.
Speaking to MSNBC host Ronan Farrow, Messina, the co-chairman of the Priorities USA Action super-PAC, cited Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush — all governors who have moderate appeal and could run strong in a general election. But he also acknowledged that they could hit road bumps with voters from the GOP's more conservative wing, The Hill said.
"I think [New Jersey Gov.] Chris Christie could potentially be a very strong general election candidate, obviously [former Florida Gov.] Jeb Bush is the flavor of the week," Messina said, according to The Hill.
"I think the country suffered during the first two Bush administrations, I can't imagine them wanting a third, but I know everyone's looking at him. I think John Kasich, the governor of Ohio, would be an interesting candidate. So those are the three that I think make sense," Messina added.
Other governors mentioned as strong possible GOP contenders have been Wisconsin's Scott Walker, who leads the pack in a new Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll of likely Republican caucus-goers,
the Des Moines Register reported.
Walker formed a committee to explore a presidential bid in late January,
The Washington Post reported.
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