# 2016 Republican Party presidential candidates

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
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This article contains the list of candidates associated with the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2016 United States presidential election.

## Candidates

Individuals included in this section have their own Wikipedia page and either formally announced their candidacy or filed as a candidate with Federal Election Commission (FEC) (for other than exploratory purposes).

### Nominee

| Name | Born | Current/previous positions | State | Announced | Candidate Logo and campaign link | Ref |
| Donald Trump | June 14, 1946 (age 70) Queens, New York | Chairman & President of The Trump Organization (1971–2017) Reform Party presidential candidate in 2000 | New York | June 16, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | |

### Withdrew during the primaries

The following individuals participated in at least two presidential debates. They withdrew or suspended their campaigns at some point after the Iowa caucuses on February 1, 2016. They are listed in order of exit, starting with the most recent.
| Name | Born | Current/recent | State | Announced | Withdrew | Candidacy | Endorsed |
| John Kasich | May 13, 1952 (age 64) McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania | 69th Governor of Ohio (2011–2019) | Ohio | July 21, 2015 | May 4, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | No endorsement (wrote in John McCain) |
| Ted Cruz | December 22, 1970 (age 45) Calgary, Alberta, Canada | United States Senator from Texas (2013–present) | Texas | March 23, 2015 | May 3, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Marco Rubio | May 28, 1971 (age 45) Miami, Florida | United States Senator from Florida (2011–2025) | Florida | April 13, 2015 | March 15, 2016 (ran for re-election) | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Ben Carson | September 18, 1951 (age 65) Detroit, Michigan | Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital (1984–2013) | Maryland | May 4, 2015 | March 2, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Jeb Bush | February 11, 1953 (age 63) Midland, Texas | 43rd Governor of Florida (1999–2007) | Florida | June 15, 2015 | February 20, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Ted Cruz, then no endorsement |
| Jim Gilmore | October 6, 1949 (age 67) Richmond, Virginia | 68th Governor of Virginia (1998–2002) | Virginia | July 30, 2015 | February 12, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Chris Christie | September 6, 1962 (age 54) Newark, New Jersey | 55th Governor of New Jersey (2010–2018) | New Jersey | June 30, 2015 | February 10, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Carly Fiorina | September 6, 1954 (age 62) Austin, Texas | CEO of Hewlett-Packard (1999–2005) | California | May 4, 2015 | February 10, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website Archived May 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine) FEC filing | Ted Cruz, then Donald Trump, later rescinded endorsement |
| Rick Santorum | May 10, 1958 (age 58) Winchester, Virginia | United States Senator from Pennsylvania (1995–2007) | Pennsylvania | May 27, 2015 | February 3, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Marco Rubio, then Donald Trump |
| Rand Paul | January 7, 1963 (age 53) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | United States Senator from Kentucky (2011–present) | Kentucky | April 7, 2015 | February 3, 2016 (ran for re-election) | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |
| Mike Huckabee | August 24, 1955 (age 61) Hope, Arkansas | 44th Governor of Arkansas (1996–2007) | Arkansas | May 5, 2015 | February 1, 2016 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Donald Trump |

### Withdrew before the primaries

The following individuals participated in at least one authorized presidential debate but withdrew from the race before the Iowa caucuses on February 1, 2016. They are listed in order of exit, starting with the most recent.
| Name | Born | Current/recent | State | Announced | Withdrew | Candidacy | Endorsed |
| George Pataki | June 24, 1945 (age 71) Peekskill, New York | 53rd Governor of New York (1995–2006) | New York | May 28, 2015 | December 29, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Marco Rubio, then John Kasich, then no endorsement |
| Lindsey Graham | July 9, 1955 (age 61) Central, South Carolina | United States Senator from South Carolina (2003–present) | South Carolina | June 1, 2015 | December 21, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Jeb Bush, then Ted Cruz, then Evan McMullin |
| Bobby Jindal | June 10, 1971 (age 45) Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 55th Governor of Louisiana (2008–2016) | Louisiana | June 24, 2015 | November 17, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC filing | Marco Rubio, then Donald Trump |
| Scott Walker | November 2, 1967 (age 49) Colorado Springs, Colorado | 45th Governor of Wisconsin (2011–2019) | Wisconsin | July 13, 2015 | September 21, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC Filing | Ted Cruz, then Donald Trump |
| Rick Perry | March 4, 1950 (age 66) Haskell, Texas | 47th Governor of Texas (2000–2015) | Texas | June 4, 2015 | September 11, 2015 | (Campaign • Positions • Website) FEC Filing | Ted Cruz, then Donald Trump |

### Other candidates

The following notable individuals filed as candidates with FEC by November 2015.
| Name | Born | Current/previous positions | State | Announced | Candidacy | Ballot status | Ref |
| Jack Fellure | October 3, 1931 (age 85) Midkiff, West Virginia | Perennial candidate Prohibition Party nominee in 2012 | West Virginia | November 7, 2012 | FEC Filing | none | |
| Andy Martin | October 31, 1945 (age 71) Middletown, Connecticut | Perennial candidate Birther activist vexatious litigant. | New York | August 16, 2015 | (Website) FEC Filing | 169 votes NH | |
Additionally, Peter Messina was on the ballot in Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Idaho. Tim Cook was on the ballot in Louisiana, New Hampshire and Arizona. Walter Iwachiw was on the ballot in Florida and New Hampshire.

### Other withdrawn candidates

Individuals in this section formally announced a bid for the nomination of the Republican Party, and filed with the FEC to be a candidate, but were not featured in any major opinion polls, and were not invited to any televised presidential primary debates.
| Name | Born | Current/previous positions | State | Announced | Withdrew | Candidacy |
| Dennis Michael Lynch | August 28, 1969 (age 47) | Businessman Documentary film maker Conservative commentator | New York | April 22, 2015 | May 3, 2015 | FEC filing |
| Mark Everson | September 10, 1954 (age 62) New York City, New York | Commissioner of Internal Revenue (2003–2007) | Mississippi | March 5, 2015 | November 5, 2015 | (Website) FEC Filing |
| Jimmy McMillan | December 1, 1946 (age 69) New Smyrna Beach, Florida | Chairman and leader of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party (2005–2015) | New York | August 22, 2015 | December 9, 2015 | (Website) FEC Filing |

## Potential candidates who did not run
### Previous

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in multiple media reports during the 2016 election cycle but did not enter the race.
* Kelly Ayotte U.S. Senator from New Hampshire 2011–2017
* Michele Bachmann U.S. Representative from Minnesota 2007–15, presidential candidate in 2012
* Jan Brewer Governor of Arizona 2009–15 Endorsed Donald Trump
* Scott Brown U.S. Senator from Massachusetts 2010–13 Endorsed Donald Trump
* Sam Brownback Governor of Kansas 2011–2018, presidential candidate in 2008 Endorsed Marco Rubio
* Herman Cain President of the National Restaurant Association 1996–99; presidential candidate in 2012
* Ken Cuccinelli Attorney General of Virginia 2010–14; nominee for Governor of Virginia in 2013 Endorsed Ted Cruz
* Jim DeMint U.S. Senator from South Carolina 2005–13
* Mary Fallin Governor of Oklahoma 2011–2019
* Nikki Haley Governor of South Carolina 2011–2017 Endorsed Marco Rubio, then Ted Cruz
* Steve King U.S. Representative from Iowa since 2003 Endorsed Ted Cruz
* Susana Martinez Governor of New Mexico 2011–2019; Endorsed Marco Rubio
* Bob McDonnell Governor of Virginia 2010–14
* Cathy McMorris Rodgers U.S. Representative from Washington since 2005
* Ted Nugent musician and civil liberties activist from Michigan Endorsed Donald Trump
* Sarah Palin Governor of Alaska 2006–09; 2008 vice-presidential nominee Endorsed Donald Trump
* Mike Rogers U.S. Representative from Michigan 2001–15
* Brian Sandoval Governor of Nevada 2011–2019 Endorsed John Kasich
* Rick Scott Governor of Florida 2011–2019 Endorsed Donald Trump
* Allen West U.S. Representative from Florida 2011–13

### Declined

Individuals listed in this section were the focus of media speculation as being possible 2016 presidential candidates but publicly, and unequivocally, ruled out presidential bids in 2016.
* Marsha Blackburn U.S. Representative from Tennessee 2003–2019
* John Bolton U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations 2005–06
* Bob Corker U.S. Senator from Tennessee 2007–2019
* Mitch Daniels Governor of Indiana 2005–13
* Bob Ehrlich Governor of Maryland 2003–07
* Newt Gingrich Speaker of the House of Representatives 1995–99; presidential candidate in 2012
* Jon Huntsman Jr. United States Ambassador to China 2009–11; Governor of Utah 2005–09; presidential candidate in 2012
* Darrell Issa U.S. Representative from California since 2021 and from 2001–2019
* Peter King U.S. Representative from New York 1993-2021
* John McCain U.S. Senator from Arizona 1987–2018; presidential candidate in 2000; presidential nominee in 2008 Endorsed Lindsey Graham
* Ron Paul U.S. Representative from Texas 1976–77, 1979–85 and 1997–2013, presidential candidate in 1988, in 2008, and in 2012 Endorsed Rand Paul
* Tim Pawlenty Governor of Minnesota 2003–11, presidential candidate in 2012 Endorsed Marco Rubio
* Mike Pence Governor of Indiana 2013–2017 vice presidential nominee for Donald Trump in 2016
* Rob Portman U.S. Senator from Ohio 2011-2023 Endorsed John Kasich
* Condoleezza Rice United States Secretary of State 2005–09
* Buddy Roemer Governor of Louisiana 1988–92; presidential candidate in 2012
* Mitt Romney Governor of Massachusetts 2003–07; presidential candidate in 2008; presidential nominee in 2012
* Paul Ryan U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 1999–2019, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 2015–19, vice presidential nominee in 2012
* Joe Scarborough cable news and talk radio host, U.S. Representative from Florida 1995–2001 Endorsed Jeb Bush
* Rick Snyder Governor of Michigan 2011–2019
* John Thune U.S. Senator from South Dakota since 2005