# If Romney wins, who'll be the GOP nominee in 2016? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046 "2012-11-06T04:11:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/1 "2012-11-06T04:11:39Z")
He quit after one term in Massachusetts; presumably actually being President would remind him that he’s a political dilettante who’s bored by the actual process of governing, and he’ll bail again. Who will the GOP choose as their candidate for 2016? ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/2 "2012-11-06T04:12:27Z")
Mitt Romney ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/3 "2012-11-06T04:47:28Z")
He didn’t run for a second term in Massachusetts because he wanted to run for president. If he quits the presidency to run for president, he’s definitely doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/4 "2012-11-06T04:50:33Z")
That sounds crazy, but … it just might work!!! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/5 "2012-11-06T04:51:52Z")
It was a pretty piss-poor and half-hearted run at the presidency back then, and let’s face it, he didn’t exactly win this nomination because he’s just that awesome. I’m still not convinced he’s doing this because he thinks it would be fun to be President. I mean, I’m sure he thinks it would be nice to have on his resume, but not something he’s really _into_, ya know? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/6 "2012-11-06T05:03:17Z")
Scott Walker :eek: ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/7 "2012-11-06T05:13:33Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > It was a pretty piss-poor and half-hearted run at the presidency back then, and let’s face it, he didn’t exactly win this nomination because he’s just that awesome. I’m still not convinced he’s doing this because he thinks it would be fun to be President. I mean, I’m sure he thinks it would be nice to have on his resume, but not something he’s really _into_, ya know? I’m pretty sure he thinks he deserves it. Hopefully we don’t have to find out what else he thinks he deserves after he accomplishes this goal. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/8 "2012-11-06T05:23:36Z")
Oh, I’m certain he thinks he deserves it. I’ve long said that his most deeply held conviction is that his hair would look AWESOME in the Oval Office. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/9 "2012-11-06T06:05:35Z")
He reminds me of Nixon in his single, core, immutable political principle being his own unique fitness for the Presidency. And the pathological lying. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/10 "2012-11-06T12:59:56Z")
Romney, pretty obviously, barring an unexpected heart attack. If elected there is no chance whatsoever he would not seek a second term. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/11 "2012-11-06T13:05:03Z")
Sarah Palin ETA: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/12 "2012-11-06T13:42:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > He didn’t run for a second term in Massachusetts because he wanted to run for president. If he quits the presidency to run for president, he’s definitely doing it wrong. The Palin Gambit? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/13 "2012-11-06T14:07:21Z")
Romney will serve two terms. I think what Massachusetts showed is that he’s uninterested in races he can’t win. So if he does a bad job he might not run for a second term, which is actually a good thing. I’ve never been able to stand failed incumbents that just hope they can fool enough people to get across the finish line. If you suck at your job, quit! ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/14 "2012-11-06T14:32:22Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Romney will serve two terms. I think what Massachusetts showed is that he’s uninterested in races he can’t win. So if he does a bad job he might not run for a second term, which is actually a good thing. I’ve never been able to stand failed incumbents that just hope they can fool enough people to get across the finish line. If you suck at your job, quit! So Romney sucked at governing Massachusetts? Glad we agree on something. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-wholl-be-the-gop-nominee-in-2016/640046/15 "2012-11-06T15:44:43Z")
No, he just couldn’t win. He was in the same position Scott Brown is in now, and few think he’s been a bad Senator. Fortunately, America isn’t staunchly red or blue, so a successful President of either party should easily win reelection and always does. Actually, mediocre Presidents usually get reelected too.