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But Sanders already sounded like a presidential contender, offering somewhat of a backhanded compliment for the only declared Democrat in the race, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is not enjoying much of a home court advantage of late.

A new Marquette Law School poll finds that Walker’s approval rating in Wisconsin has fallen to 41 percent, with 56 percent surveyed saying they disapproved of how he is handling his job. The 41 percent figure is the lowest recorded since the Marquette poll began surveying registered voters three years ago. In October of 2014, the poll found that 49 percent of voters in Wisconsin approved of the way Walker was handling his duties as governor, while 47 percent disapproved.

It never really dawned on Leslie Combs that Hillary Clinton might lose. Combs, a new state legislator from Pike County, Kentucky—Democratic turf since the Union fought the Confederacy—had endorsed Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid. And yet the frontrunner stumbled, and kept losing primaries to a freshman senator named Barack Obama.

“Our region had no thought or concept that he would win,” said Combs. “There were people who were just in awe about what was happening. Our folks were just so dead set for her and had no intention being for him. As soon as she was out of the picture, the rest of us Democrats would be out.”

A secretive group that serves as the umbrella operation for leaders and activists within the conservative movement will host two meetings in the coming months, National Journal has learned, the first to vet Republican presidential candidates and the second to discuss coalescing behind one of them.

The Council for National Policy, a shadowy organization of several hundred dues-paying members, typically meets three times a year in various locations around the country. But with the 2016 cycle accelerating, and many conservative leaders intent on rallying behind a single candidate, CNP’s leadership is taking extraordinary measures—scheduling two top-priority meetings outside of Washington—and inviting a large number of nonmembers to both.

The What Ifs of the 2016 GOP Presidential Race

If Jeb Bush doesn’t win any of the first four GOP contests — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — does that eliminate him from the Republican race? Or does he have the staying power to survive those losses?

If Texas Sen. Ted Cruz finishes first in the Iowa caucuses, does that all but eliminate hopefuls such as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Ben Carson from the race?

Rubio faces a familiar challenge in New Hampshire

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Friday will make his first campaign swing through New Hampshire since announcing that he is running for president, a place where he will be competing for attention against more than a dozen other current and potential challengers descending on the early nominating state over the next couple of days.

For Rubio, the challenge on this trip is much like his broader national challenge: Find a way to get noticed and build a following as an underdog in a crowded field.