US Election tidbits

~ US Presidents can only serve two consecutive terms

~Usually when a Prez is leaving after two terms the Vice President will run

~ Dick Cheney, the current VP, has stated on several occassions (2001,2004) that he will never be president, and "...If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve"

~ This is the first election in 80 years where neither the Prez nor the Vice will be running (called non-incumbent or "open seat" election)

~Likely to be the most expensive election ever "estimated that the 2008 race will be a "$1 billion election," and that to be "taken seriously," a candidate will need to raise at least $100 million by the end of 2007."

~ Candidates started to emerge in 2006!!!

~Persons of interest and those registered thus far

Official candidates who have filed with the FEC

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware (Campaign Site) {Dem}
Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut (Campaign Site) {Dem}
Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina (Campaign Site) {Dem}
Former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska (Campaign Site) {Dem}
Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio (Campaign Site) {Dem}
Former Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa (Campaign Site) {Dem}

Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas (Campaign site) {Rep}

John H. Cox of Illinois (Campaign Site) {Rep}

Representative Duncan Hunter of California (Campaign Site) {Rep}

Michael Charles Smith of Oregon (Campaign Site) {Rep}

Candidates who have formed exploratory committees:
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York (Exploratory Committee) {Dem}
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois (Exploratory Committee) {Dem}
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico (Exploratory Committee) {Dem}

Former Governor Jim Gilmore of Virginia {Rep}
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Senator John McCain of Arizona (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Representative Ron Paul of Texas (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}
Former Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin (Exploratory Committee) {Rep}

Candidates who have expressed serious interest:
Retired General Wesley Clark of Arkansas (WesPAC)[6] {Dem}
Reverend Al Sharpton of New York {Dem}

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia (Winning the Future)[10] {Rep}
Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska (Sandhills PAC)[11] {Rep}
Radio Talk Show Host Michael Savage of California (Savage Nation) [12] {Rep}

Other

James Gilchrist of California Constitution Party

Kat Swift of Texas (Campaign site) Green Party

Steve Kubby of California (Campaign Site)
George Phillies of Massachusetts (Campaign Site)
Christine Smith of Colorado (Campaign Site)

Doug Stanhope of Arizona (Campaign Site)

Robert Milnes of New Jersey (Campaign Site)

Steve Adams of Kentucky (Campaign Site)
Gene Amondson of Washington for the Prohibition Party (Campaign Site)
Bob W. Hargis of Oklahoma (Campaign Site)
Daniel Imperato of Florida (Campaign Site)
David A. Koch of Utah

Ken Goldstein of California (Campaign Site)
Charles T. Maxham of New Jersey (Campaign Site)

~OFFICIALLY NOT RUNNING

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts

Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana

Senator Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin

Mark Warner, former governor of Virginia

Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee

Source- Wikipedia