Election day 2016 is still 18 months away but the primaries begin in just eight months and that's why the field of candidates vying for the wide open Republican presidential nomination is starting to get a little crowded. I should start with the disclaimer that, while I do vote, I don't publicly support candidates. But that doesn't mean I can't do a little handicapping of that GOP field at this moment.
I think it will come down to three key factors:
1. Anti-GOP establishment. The GOP candidates with the best chances of success will be independent of the too-compromising and lightly principled Republican congressional establishment.
2. Foreign policy. The GOP needs a candidate who projects American strength in the face of Islamist terror, Iran's nuclear ambitions, provocations from Russia's Vladimir Putin, and China's growing worldwide influence .
3. Anti-Clinton. The Republican candidate who provides the best responses and the best poll numbers against Hillary Clinton will be very attractive to a powerful chunk of GOP primary voters.
So, how are 10 names in the Republican presidential field doing on these three key factors? Here's a report card: