2016 Campaign Watch

Head-to-head matchups between the top Democratic and Republican candidates don’t mean much this point, but they can provide some clues about which candidates have both sufficient national name recognition and positive perceptions at this point. Bloomberg Politics provides analysis of recent polls in three key “swing” states showing three Republicans, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and current U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, to be competitive with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

Rubio, Bush, Paul Are Clinton’s Top Opponents ...

Real estate mogul and celebrity Donald Trump announced his decision today to jump into the crowded GOP field running for the 2016 nomination for president. The New York Times offered the following report:

Donald Trump Runs for President (This Time for Real, He Says)

Donald J. Trump, the garrulous real estate developer whose name has adorned apartment buildings, hotels, Trump-brand neckties and Trump-brand steaks, announced on Tuesday his entry into the 2016 presidential race, brandishing his wealth ...

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will be announcing later today that he is entering the 2016 presidential race. The announcement comes after roughly six months of his existing as a not-yet-official-but-obviously-running candidate, as Bloomberg Politics reports:

Jeb Bush Prepares to Formally Announce Presidential Campaign

Jeb Bush will attempt to follow his brother and father into the nation’s highest office when he officially announces Monday that he’ll run for president of the United States.

The announcement ends a months-long flirtation that began in December, when the former ...