Which 2016 Republican candidates would make good leaders during a war? As commander in chief, the president has the duty to lead the United States in times of military crisis, and to ask Congress for a declaration of war. This is an enormous responsibility with great ramifications, and can have profound implications on the fate of the country.
While in the past, most presidential candidates had some kind of military experience, if not experience directly in combat, almost none do now. Of the Republican candidates for the 2016 nomination, only Lindsey Graham and Jim Gilmore have spent time in the military, with Graham having over three decades of service as an Air Force reservist. Rick Perry had also been in the Air Force, but with his withdraw from the race, Graham is the only veteran who would be picking up the mantle of commander in chief.
Here's your chance to vote up the Republican candidates you feel would be the most effective leaders during a war - and to vote down the ones who would not make good wartime leaders.1
585575John Kasich
Age: 682
375422Mike Huckabee
Age: 65Ended campaign on February 1, 20163
420487Chris Christie
Age: 58Ended campaign on February 10, 20164
398463Lindsey Graham
Age: 65Ended campaign on December 21, 20155
328407Jim Gilmore
Age: 71Ended campaign on February 12, 20166
261399Rick Santorum
Age: 62Ended campaign on February 3, 20167
259403George Pataki
Age: 75Ended campaign December 30, 20158
325525Jeb Bush
Age: 67Ended campaign February 20, 20169
6531,11910
381667Marco Rubio
Age: 49Ended campaign on March 15, 201611
300540Carly Fiorina
Age: 66Ended campaign on February 10, 201612
255473Rand Paul
Age: 57Ended campaign on February 3, 201613
475964Ted Cruz
Age: 5014
79219Bobby Jindal
Age: 49Ended campaign on November 17, 2015
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