Handicapping the 2012 GOP Presidential Nominees

Considering I was brought to The Blaze to write about 2012 politics…I should probably get to writing about 2012 politics.

Intrade.com is the crystal ball of politics. It’s a prediction market that allows people to take positions – er, make bets – on whether future events will or will not occur. And it’s pretty accurate.  Here’s how Intrade handicaps the current GOP race for presidential nominee.

1.  Mitt Romney                         31.9% (chance to be the GOP nominee)

Intrade gives Romney a 14% chance to be POTUS

2. Rick Perry                              31%

While Romney has a slightly better chance to be the nominee, Perry has a 16% to be POTUS. Of course, he hasn’t entered the race. Yet.

3. Jon Huntsman                        7.3%

Huntsman gets no attention. But betters put him at a distant third.

Check the jump to see where Palin, Bachmann, Paul and everyone else rank.

4. Sarah Palin                             7.0%

42% of betters think she’ll announce a run for POTUS by the end of 2011

5. Michelle Bachmann                5.6%

She’s not a good bet to win the nomination, but she has a 40% chance to win Iowa. Betters are also giving her a 7% chance to be VP nominee.

6.   Ron Paul                                 3.0%

He wins straw polls. And Intrade gives him a 35% chance to win the Iowa straw poll on August 13.

7.   Tim Pawlenty                         2.1%

Odds are 75% that he drops out of the race before Feb 2012. The site gives him a 4% chance to be the VP nominee.

8.   Newt Gingrich                       0.6%

Betters say he has a 3.9% chance to be VP nominee.

9.   Herman Cain                          0.6%

10. Rick Santorum                       0.3%

InTrade also says Obama has a 55% chance to be re-elected POTUS.