There is continuing speculation about whether Gov. Rick Snyder will run for president. Recent trips around the country to sell Michigan’s story have only fanned the rumor flames that Snyder is, indeed, considering a run.
The facts as they stand now are as follows: the governor is making trips across the country, talking up Michigan. He’s been in places like California and Washington D.C, neither of which are typical early indicators of a run, as Ohio or New Hampshire might be.
Michigan Radio’s political analyst Jack Lessenberry, however, said someone considering a run might go to places like California, New York or Washington D.C., for money.
Still, Lessenberry is unconvinced. It seems to him as if Snyder is flirting with the idea, as if he might even be “believing his own press coverage.”
“Here’s what I think’s going on: For the first time in anybody’s memory – the first time since 1952 – there’s not a clear front-runner for the Republican nomination,” he said. “It’s usually the guy who finished second in the last cycle. That doesn’t apply here. And there’s all sorts of middle-of-the-pack people, and so people are speculating, ‘Well it might be somebody entirely different, it might be a dark horse.’”
He further added that the public is used to nominations being all set by March. People are used to single-ballot conventions.
“But in the old days, they were often multiple ballots, backroom deals,” he said. “Sometimes these things went on for days.”
He said it’s possible that this time around the convention could arrive before any of the candidates have 50% or more of the delegates won over – which is what’s needed for a nomination. At that point, the party might look to one of the less-talked-about possibilities, somebody like Snyder.
“Very long shot, but could happen,” Lessenberry said.
