There are six weeks until the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3. Yet there are still eight candidates vying for the GOP nomination for president in 2012. Only former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race, on Aug. 14, one day after a third-place finish in the Iowa Straw Poll. Texas Gov. Rick Perry entered the race since then. Despite sexual harassment scandals and possible shady dealings, U.S. News and World Report states candidates have remained in the race thanks to steady donors and publicity due to debates.
Who will be the next candidate to drop out? Here's a look at who might be next to fall and when.
Jon Huntsman
The Los Angeles Times reports candidates will be in Iowa today at the Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines. About 2,500 people are expected to attend as candidates try to woo voters to choose them in Iowa's caucuses. The event is geared for social conservatives. The Hill reports two candidates will not be showing up to speak at the event. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman will not be there.
Fox News states Huntsman doesn't even get in double digits in polls. His moderate views may not spur conservative voters in Iowa to choose him in the caucus. The Huffington Post reported in mid-October that Huntsman's campaign was in debt $890,000 despite an influx of $2 million of his own money. Huntsman has never gained ground in polls and may exit even before the Iowa caucuses.
Looking back at the 2008 Republican primary, the New York Times reported Mike Huckabee won with over 34 percent of the vote. There were eight candidates on the ballot, including Tom Tancredo who got five votes. PBS states Tancredo dropped out three weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Should Huntsman drop out of the race, he may have such an announcement just before Christmas.
Rep. Michele Bachmann
Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota may be the next to step out of the race. Her paid staff in New Hampshire quit in mid-October as she has been focused on a campaign in Iowa to try to win the caucuses there. Bachmann won the Iowa Straw Poll in mid-August but has gone down in public opinion polling since then.
In less than a month after her win in Iowa's famous straw poll, Bachmann stood at 6 percent in national polls, according to the Washington Post. Winning Iowa is one thing, but making a claim on the national stage is another. Huckabee won Iowa in 2008 but then Sen. John McCain got the 2008 nomination against then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Bachmann may be like Pawlenty. If she doesn't have a strong showing in a border state to Minnesota, the 2012 nomination may be too farfetched for her.
Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum is a former senator from Pennsylvania. The National Journal reports Santorum may have difficulties in standing out from other candidates. Despite raising $30 million against Sen. Bob Casey in 2006, Santorum lost by more than 20 points despite being a two-term Senator.
Santorum hasn't had any scandals in his campaign yet hasn't made any waves with voters. He has been focused on social issues and foreign policy as opposed to the economy and two wars. His current focus is the "Faith Family and Freedom Tour" while having a simplified plan to jumpstart the economy.
William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics. Born in St. Louis, Browning is active in local politics and served as a campaign volunteer for President Barack Obama and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.
