It's probably worth taking stock of where we are with Republican candidates:

Announced:
Ted Cruz
Rand Paul
Marco Rubio
Carly Fiorina
Ben Carson
Mike Huckabee

Not announced but expected:
Jeb Bush
Chris Christie
Scott Walker
Rick Perry
Rick Santorum
Bobby Jindal

Bonus points for constant threats to run:
Donald Trump

There are so many characters it's starting to feel like a Dostoevsky novel.

Are there any prospects of an 'out of nowhere' candidate emerging, somewhat like Obama did for the Dems?

As a registered independent in AZ, I can choose which primary to vote in. Hillary is probably a shoe in even at this point so I am likely to look at the GOP primary.

I look at that list and wonder if I might be better off writing my own name in.

Why not throw your hat into the ring?

We could organise the first BE Super Pac.

Well apart from being a naturalized citizen and therefore ineligible...

Actaully I once looked at the local rules in AZ to be an official write in candidate. They don't half make it difficult to stand if you aren't in a party.

Nope, I've changed my mind, Ben Carson it is:

The stupid. It burns ...

You could have entitled that "12 or 13 reasons why you should plan to emigrate in January 2017."

What is wrong with just one?

I'm sure what he meant to say is that illegals should be stripped of their Mexican citizenship and deported to Mexico, even if they aren't Mexican. Or something like that.

At this stage I'm just grateful the Palin looks like she's not running.

Why would she have needed to run after collecting $$$ from gullible people last time around?

The only thing Palin runs for is her own bank account.

Half of the Republican nominations look like they are really just aiming for their own show on Fox News.

I remain convinced that Ted Cruz wants a media career and has no intention of being president, while Carly Fiorina is running to be vice president.

I'm still trying to understand why there are so many GOP candidates. By some counts there are 18 or more who have or will have indicated they will run.

Surely this will be bad for the GOP as they will be spending most of their energy attacking their fellow GOP candidates rather than Hillary.

Obvious answer is money I guess.

There are a whole variety of reasons, only a few would be doing so because they can win.

I know somebody who was a write in candidate locally, he knew he had no chance but had an axe to grind and it was a cheap way of doing it.