• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited

3

After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited

3

After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
Leadership

Who’s in, Who’s out, and Who Knows in the Race for President

By
Ben Geier
Ben Geier
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Ben Geier
Ben Geier
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 2, 2016, 12:50 PM ET
Photograph by Bloomberg

Last night saw the first actual voting of the 2016 election season with Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton winning the Iowa Caucuses. With the New Hampshire Primary just one week away and Super Tuesday in less than a month, here is the state of the Republican and Democratic fields:

WHO WON

Ted Cruz — Last night was a huge win. Cruz beat back the Trump insurgency and scored big among evangelicals. A lot of Super Tuesday primaries are in the South, so the Texas Senator will need to keep that base energized if he’s going to keep his momentum going.

Hillary Clinton — The former Secretary of State may have edged out Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side, but the fact that Bernie—an old, white, democratic socialist from a tiny state—ran so close to the Clinton machine has to be disconcerting.

WHO’S STILL IN IT

Donald Trump — Yes, he failed to win this round. But the billionaire businessman gave a surprisingly gracious speech, he came in second, and he’s still leading big in New Hampshire. Though losing Iowa probably bruises the former Republican frontrunner’s substantial ego, Trump is still very much in the race.

Bernie Sanders — The Bern is still alive. He basically tied Hillary Clinton, won huge among young voters, and is leading handily in New Hampshire. Whether that momentum can carry over to Super Tuesday remains to be seen, but for now Vermont Senator Sanders is still very much in the race.

Marco Rubio — Some say Rubio was the biggest winner. That’s overstating it, because he still came in third place, but it still was a good night: The Florida Senator established himself as the consensus “establishment” lane candidate and kept it a three-man race.

Ben Carson — He didn’t live up to his billing as a one-time leader in the Iowa polls, and he couldn’t capture the evangelical support that went to Cruz. Still, Carson came in fourth with around 10%. That’s not bad for a neurosurgeon with no political experience. He could still challenge in some southern states if he manages to wrestle some evangelicals away from Cruz.

Rand Paul — It was a bad night for the Kentucky Senator, as he couldn’t win some of the libertarian voters who supported his father Ron in the past. Still, he’s alive.

John Kasich and Chris Christie — Both candidates barely registered in Iowa, but then again, they weren’t trying to. Both of the governors are going for broke in New Hampshire next week, so they’re still alive.

 

WHO’S OUT

Mike Huckabee — Huckabee, who won the Iowa Caucuses in 2008, failed to get traction there this time. His campaign was largely focused on evangelical voters, who had moved over to Cruz this time around. The former Arkansas Governor suspended his campaign last night.

Martin O’Malley — O’Malley also suspended his campaign after getting just eight delegates from the Democratic Caucuses. He was originally thought to be the liberal alternative to Hillary Clinton, but the former Maryland Governor eventually lost that mantle to Bernie Sanders and never found a way to stay relevant. He’ll always have his music though.

WHO KNOWS?

Rick Santorum — Like Huckabee, Santorum is a former Iowa Caucus winner (back in 2012). Like Huckabee, he lost his band of evangelical voters to Cruz. Unlike Huckabee, he hasn’t formally left the race yet. Still, it’s hard to see a viable path back for the former Pennsylvania Senator .

Jeb Bush — Jeb Bush could probably have been listed in our “Who’s Still In It” category, because he won’t be leaving the race anytime soon, given his vast money reserves. Still, the former Florida Governor has been completely usurped by Marco Rubio as the establishment’s candidate of choice. So though Bush will remain on the ballot, who knows why?

Carly Fiorina — There was a time when the former Hewlett-Packard CEO was rising in the polls, vying to be a real contender. Those days are gone, as she just didn’t perform in Iowa. She hasn’t pulled out, but it can’t be long.

Jim Gilmore — At the debate last week, the former Virginia Governor said he was starting his campaign in New Hampshire. He’s not even included in the Real Clear Politics aggregate polls. The “Who knows?” category can be expanded many ways for Gilmore, such as “Who is he?” and “Does he really think he can win?” and, simply “Why?”

About the Author
By Ben Geier
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

peter thiel
AIskills
Forget the STEM safety net. Peter Thiel warns AI is a bigger threat to technical roles than to creative thinkers
By Jake AngeloMay 31, 2026
5 hours ago
Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach
SuccessCareers
Ex-Workday CEO says his career took off after he changed his attitude—and Amazon boss Andy Jassy swears by the same mindset hack
By Preston ForeMay 31, 2026
6 hours ago
CEOs blame AI for layoffs, but an MIT professor says it fits a long-running pattern to find a cover story. ‘They’ve been saying that for 20 years’
AIthe future of work
CEOs blame AI for layoffs, but an MIT professor says it fits a long-running pattern to find a cover story. ‘They’ve been saying that for 20 years’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 31, 2026
6 hours ago
ms
Arts & Entertainmentbaby boomers
Why the economy forces boomers to work longer, then vilifies them for it
By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams and The ConversationMay 31, 2026
8 hours ago
Allison Danielsen is CEO, Tallo.
CommentaryCareers
My wrist injury derailed my college plans. It’s why I’m a CEO today
By Allison DanielsenMay 31, 2026
9 hours ago
treble
CommentaryElections
I built a startup from scratch and still nearly died because of a broken healthcare system. That’s why I’m running for Congress
By Jonathan TrebleMay 31, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
Personal Finance
I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
By Nick LichtenbergMay 31, 2026
11 hours ago
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
Politics
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
By Jack Wittels and BloombergMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
Law
After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
After Blue Origin rocket explosion, NASA's entire moon exploration program depends on SpaceX for now as Musk eyes blockbuster IPO soon
Innovation
After Blue Origin rocket explosion, NASA's entire moon exploration program depends on SpaceX for now as Musk eyes blockbuster IPO soon
By Jason MaMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
Economy
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
By Shawn TullyMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
Future of Work
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 30, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.