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With the 2008 election well in the rear view mirror, and Obama and co. settled into the White House, I find myself missing the daily high drama that election season brought with it.  You know what I’m talking about I’m sure: political pundits spewing their propaganda on cable news channels, townhall stops by the candidates and the nightly ripping of one another in the arena of public consumption.  Elections really make for truly great media – almost hinging on entertainment.

Looking ahead to the next presidential election, we have a fairly cloudy view of what the GOP will bring to the table in terms of a challenger to the Democratic juggernaut.  There are a few certainties already however: Mitt Romney, after his recent straw poll victory looks like he’s running – as does Sarah Palin, though time will tell if she actually wants to go through with the nonsense that came her way in ‘08.

But other than these two obvious candidates, there are a few others that could make for a VERY interesting primary season.  Here’s a list that I threw together of who you might see:

• Newt Gingrich – A recent report from a Richmond, VA newspaper shed light on Newt’s thinking about the candidacy and possibly running himself.  My guess is that if he doesn’t see anyone else that posses enough of a challange to Obama, he will run.
• Rush Limbaugh – I know this is a major stretch, but hey, this is politics right?  Since when is anything out of the question?  Especially with all of the talk recently that Rush is the ideological head of the GOP? (Hell, he’s really been the ideological leader of the conservative movement for years and years now).  This would make for some EXCELLENT political theater – and I for one hopes it happens.  Rush on the other hand would probably be putting his radio career at risk by running though, so it probably won’t happen.
• Bobby Jindal – The American public got their first real taste of Jindal after he gave the Republican response to Obama’s Speech in late February.  The media ripped him pretty good for his talk – but who wants to follow Obama on the podium?  Anyone would sound like a loser after that guy lays it down.  Jindal is widely seen in republican circles as being a great hop for the GOP and a real candidate.  Another funny thing to notice on Jindal’s website is the prominence of the Twitter and Facebook links – something the GOP is quickly learning from Obama’s team.
• Tim Pawlenty – The Minnesota governor was widely rumored to finish second to Sarah Palin for the ‘08 GOP VP nod, and had it not been for Hillary and Barack battling on the other side, he probably would have gotten it.  He’s a people’s candidate as Obama was, appealing to middle class values.  No one knows Pawlenty outside of the upper midwest, but that could change once the GOP figures out that he would bring Minnesota and possibly even Wisconsin over to the red.

Whoever it is though, they’ll have a war on their hands as long as Obama can keep his approval numbers where they are now, especially in the battleground states.