2008 Presidential Campaign Update #13

We're now 51 days from the leadoff contest -- the Iowa Caucuses -- and we still have 16 official entries, eight Republicans and eight Democrats, in the 2008 presidential sweepstakes.

The Republicans are Representative Duncan Hunter of California, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arizona Senator John McCain, Representative Ron Paul of Texas, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson.

The Democrats are former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, former North Carolina Senator and 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee John Edwards, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, and Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

Today, I also offer my updated presidential power ratings for both parties, in which I rank the candidates in order of their likelihood to receive their respective party's presidential nomination. At this point, all potential major candidates have either opted in or out. Therefore, only the official candidates will be included in the rankings for the rest of the way. Of course, these rankings will fluctuate with time, as the fortunes of the candidates change and some ultimately drop out. Here's my latest installment:

Democrats:

1. Hillary Clinton

2. Barack Obama

3. John Edwards

4. Bill Richardson

5. Joe Biden

6. Chris Dodd

7. Dennis Kucinich

8. Mike Gravel

Republicans:

1. Rudy Giuliani

2. Mitt Romney

3. John McCain

4. Fred Thompson

5. Mike Huckabee

6. Ron Paul

7. Duncan Hunter

8. Tom Tancredo

Stay tuned for regular updates, with the next one coming around the second week in December.