# What are these "going nowhere fast" candidates thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 28, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232 "2023-06-28T14:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/21 "2023-06-28T18:36:05Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Is “getting your name out there” and being squashed really a good career move, wat chest aside? Is that the only reason to do it? Well, it depends on how you got your name out there. Sure, with the current primary, Trump is going to squash a lot of these guys, but if they have a good showing at a debate, it gets their name out there for the next election. Trump will be term limited, so they’ll have to find someone new, and “Hey, Bob Noname came across pretty well last time. He wasn’t ‘ready for the job’ then, but 2028 is another matter…” You can’t win an election if people don’t know who you are, so step one is looking decent in a high profile event. And let’s face it, with another clown car primary coming down the pipes, it won’t be hard to come across as “The Sensible One”, even if you lose this round. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/22 "2023-06-28T18:45:44Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Trump will be term limited Trump can run as many times as he wants as long as he keeps losing. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/23 "2023-06-28T18:51:14Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Trump can run as many times as he wants as long as he keeps losing. He will eventually be term limited by the impermanence of the human condition. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/24 "2023-06-28T19:01:59Z")
If Republicans had a chance they’d give him as many terms as he wants, so betting on the Grim Reaper is a safer bet. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/25 "2023-06-28T19:14:37Z")
Pete Buttigieg is a good case in point. He had no chance of becoming President when he ran. But he raised enough awareness to get himself into a cabinet position. That was pretty much entirely due to his presidential run-- Nobody would ever have heard of him otherwise. Now, he just might have a chance at the Presidency somewhere down the line. But even if he doesn’t, and if Secretary of Transportation is the high-water mark of his career, well, that’s a pretty high mark, certainly much higher than Mayor of Terra Haute. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/26 "2023-06-28T19:19:36Z")
Aside from the mentioned cynical, but accurate, reasons, some of them are surely thinking this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ju2FSUCiVfQ/hqdefault.jpg "Dumb and Dumber - So you're telling me there's a chance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju2FSUCiVfQ) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/27 "2023-06-28T19:27:00Z")
I’m still slightly dumbfounded that he made it to a Cabinet post. No disrespect to Pete, it’s just not where I expected him to end up when he started. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/28 "2023-06-28T19:47:12Z")
My understanding is that Pete’s doing a pretty good job so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to find himself in such positions going forward. He really is a good example of what can happen to the right person if they just need some exposure to open sone doors. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/29 "2023-06-28T20:37:12Z")
Another line of thinking might be predicting that the current leader in the polls is going to self destruct and drop out for health or legal reasons and leave a huge void of voters ripe for the taking. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/30 "2023-06-28T20:43:41Z")
Right, and assuming everyone will slide up a notch on the totem pole each time someone drops out. So if you are way down in the polls now, as people drop you could find yourself in 6th, 5th, or 4th place, and be seen with some legitimacy the longer you hang-on. While that may not exactly translate into the nomination, it is an elevated profile for cabinet positions, as noted, or at least some lucrative TV or book deals for a while. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/31 "2023-06-28T21:13:17Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > the current leader in the polls is going to self destruct Dying would be a very serious gaffe for the frontrunner to commit. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/32 "2023-06-28T21:45:38Z")
FWIW, there 268 people who have filed with the FEC as Republican candidates for president in the 2024 election. Seven of them have raised more than $1,000,000 and I would be shocked if anyone could correctly name all seven without looking it up. CASTRO, JOHN ANTHONY - $20,000,000 TRUMP, DONALD J. - $18,272,903.09 RAMASWAMY, VIVEK - $11,418,448.56 HALEY, NIKKI - $5,125,430.77 JOHNSON, PERRY - $3,763,395.5 SCOTT, TIMOTHY E. - $1,646,201.66 ROBERTS, ROLLAN II - $1,278,180 On the Dem side there are 151 candidates registered with the FEC and only Joe Biden has raised over $1,000,000 (Marianne Williamson is pretty close to a mil). There’s some point in the list where the, “But Obama,” and, “Auditioning for a cabinet position,” arguments no longer apply. Some (the vast majority) are just cuckoo for cocoa puffs. Source: [Browse Candidates for president | FEC](https://www.fec.gov/data/candidates/president/?election_year=2024&cycle=2024&election_full=true) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/33 "2023-06-28T21:50:32Z")
Anyone with $5,000 to blow can register to run for president. So it’s not a surprise there are hundreds of people who did. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/34 "2023-06-28T21:56:33Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Seven of them have raised more than $1,000,000 and I would be shocked if anyone could correctly name all seven without looking it up. I was more shocked at who was missing from that list. But the data from your link shows $0 raised so I assume Meatball Ron just hasn’t reported his raised funds yet. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/35 "2023-06-28T21:59:05Z")
That’s a suspiciously large and round number for ole John Anthony, whose highest claim to political prominence is finishing sixth in a special election to replace a dead North Texas Congressman. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/36 "2023-06-28T22:01:44Z")
Is he trying for some name confusion hijinx with the Castro brothers? ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/37 "2023-06-28T22:01:49Z")
I think that’s as of the last quarter’s financial disclosure. Before Ron was officially a candidate. Or something like that. He clearly has millions. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/38 "2023-06-28T22:11:28Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Is he trying for some name confusion hijinx with the Castro brothers? I think that was probably his play when he raised money through the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue for the 2021 congressional election. He’s no longer listed there, but he could still be milking liberals elsewhere with his last name and his lawsuits against Trump. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/39 "2023-06-29T18:18:25Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Can someone remind me whether candidates can use their campaign funds for personal use after the election? [Here’s what happens to candidates’ leftover money](https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/s-happens-candidates-leftover-money-rcna57340) > [@](#): > > Leftover money can be transferred to other candidates’ races, political parties, PACs, charities, even potential recounts. The final destination for this cash can provide insight into a candidate’s future political ambitions. If they plan to run for office again, they can use leftover funds for another campaign. How do you define personal? Paying the water bill is right out. Helping run for a different office to get more paying work is allowed. Donating it to PACs that support your most favored political causes is also allowed and might be seen as having a personal benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232/40 "2023-06-29T18:30:07Z")
There are ways, though, to make sure that “payments for campaign expenses” end up back in your pocket, or that the “campaign expenses” were what you wanted to spend it on anyway. Want a vacation in Hawaii? Give a stump speech there; now the trip is a campaign expense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-going-nowhere-fast-candidates-thinking/986232.md?page=3)