The US Presidential Election 2016

[Jubal]

It does look like Trump's numbers were pretty inflated.

If the GOP establishment really falls heavily behind Rubio it's possible he'll get the nomination, though I don't think he's a terribly strong candidate.

EDIT: Also, Rand Paul is gone.

[comrade_general]

EDIT: Also, Rand Paul is gone.

Very sad. Guess I won't be voting in this election, for there is no one worth voting for.

[Jubal]

I think Rand's senate seat is up this time round? So I guess he decided to focus on holding that.

Incidentally, it turns out that both Dem candidates made history in Iowa: Hilary is the first ever woman from either party to win the caucuses, and Bernie is the first ever openly non-Christian presidential candidate from either party to receive any pledged convention delegates.

[comrade_general]

Incidentally

Irrelevantly.

[Jubal]

I mean, I agree it's not relevant to who's going to win, but nor are most facts or milestones like that. Sanders' I would say is the more notable achievement - being the first woman to win Iowa is one for the psephology geeks but, in a country where a scarily high percentage of people still say they wouldn't ever vote for a non-Christian when polled, breaking the barrier of being a non-Christian getting delegates for a major party nomination is worthy of historical note and shows it can be done.

[Pentagathus]

This voting system sounds mental. When does it start and end? I may need to prepare for the trumpocalypse.

[Jubal]

The state primaries are spread between now and June basically, then there are the conventions, then the general election campaign and they finally vote on that in like November.

[Pentagathus]

Wut?

[Jubal]

To give exact dates...

The last GOP primaries are Cali, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota, on June 7. The last Democrat one is Washington DC on June 14,

Then the conventions are:

Democrat: July 25-28
GOP: July 18-21

And for the minor parties, which don't hold primaries in most states -
Libertarian: May 26-30
Green: August 4-7

These have been pushed earlier, often the party conventions are in August. From August the general election campaign starts and runs on through August, September, and October, with the actual vote being on November 8.

It's only just hitting me as I write these numbers down just how bat-armadillo insanely long this system takes.

[Pentagathus]

Wut?

[Jubal]

That.

Also this is now a thing: http://trumpdonald.org/

[Jubal]

New Hampshire done!

Massive (60%) win for Sanders on the Dem side, Trump comfortably winning on the GOP side with Kasich leading the "moderates" behind him.

So that's (may change as not all results are in still):
Sanders +15
Clinton +9

Trump +10
Kasich +3
Cruz +2
Bush +2

[comrade_general]

[Jubal]

As an Ohioan, what're your thoughts on Kasich? He seems pretty dull but probably not the sort of person who's going to screw up the whole world, which possibly currently puts him as my least worst option in the GOP field.

[comrade_general]

No idea, I haven't been paying any attention to the antics at work.