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[h=4]USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings: Kasich gets a boost[/h]The Republican presidential race continues to be all about Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich may have put himself in position to make a mark when New Hampshire votes next month.
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Week 21 results for USA TODAY’s GOP Power Rankings.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: AP)
The Republican presidential race continues to be all about Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich may have put himself in position to make a mark when New Hampshire votes next month.
In our weekly poll of 30 political experts — we ask who is strongest in the GOP field each week —<span style="color: Red;">*</span><span style="color: Red;">*</span>Kasich notched sixth place this week, his highest standing in the 21 weeks we have been running the survey.
Now, it's not first place — that's still Trump. But Kasich's upward movement reflects some thought that he could score second place in the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary. That would plant him firmly in the national headlines and give his campaign fresh life.
"This week Kasich feels like a 'positive alternative'<span style="color: Red;">*</span>possibility in NH, amid all the negativity between (Jeb) Bush, (Chris) Christie, and (Marco)<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rubio," said University of New Hampshire professor Dante Scala. Polls in the state have consistently shown Kasich among<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a cluster of candidates<span style="color: Red;">*</span>vying for second place behind Trump, and over the weekend he picked up endorsements from three newspapers in the state.
Kasich also benefits from other candidates — namely Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson — dropping out of the top tier over the past several weeks.
"The conventional wisdom is that it's either Trump or Cruz. <span style="color: Red;">*</span>However, surprises occur when actual people start to vote," warned former Democratic congressman Dan Maffei.
Pollster Peter Fenn added, "The knives are out between Trump and Cruz. The question is: does this give a Rubio, Christie, Kasich or Bush a chance to come up the side and emerge as an alternative?"
Former Republican party official<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Frank Donatelli agreed, "Trump, Cruz and Rubio have most potential for the long run," Donatelli said.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"There may be one more ticket available if Bush, Christie or Kasich can finish first or second in New Hampshire. Iowa is most important for Cruz as he is lagging in New Hampshire."
On other odd item worth noting this week: Rand Paul held his spot in eighth<span style="color: Red;">*</span>place despite being relegated to the happy hour debate that he refused<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to attend. Paul turned his relegation into a positive by launching a social media storm during the debate that garnered a lot of attention. He was among the top five candidates in growth of Twitter followers during the debate for the first time despite not being on stage.
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In USA TODAY's Power Rankings, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz continue to lead the pack. But a surprise surge from John Kasich could create a shake-up in the polls. USA TODAY
WEEK 21 RANKINGS
[h=2]1. Donald Trump (Last Week: 1)[/h][h=2]2. Ted Cruz (2)[/h][h=2]3. Marco Rubio (3)[/h][h=2]4. Chris Christie (4)[/h][h=2]5. Jeb Bush (5)[/h][h=2]6. John Kasich (7)[/h][h=2]7. Ben Carson (6)[/h][h=2]8. Rand Paul (8)[/h][h=2]9. Carly Fiorina (9)[/h][h=2]10. Mike Huckabee (10)[/h][h=2]11. Rick Santorum (11)[/h][h=2]12. Jim Gilmore (12)[/h]Week 1<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 2<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 3
Week 4<span style="color: Red;">*</span> |<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 5<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 6
Week 7<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 8<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 9
Week 10<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 11<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 12
Week 13<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 14<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 15
Week 16<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 17<span style="color: Red;">*</span>|<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Week 18
Week 19<span style="color: Red;">*</span>| Week 20
Participants in<span style="color: Red;">*</span>USA TODAY's GOP Power Rankings:
Kristen Soltis Anderson, Republican pollster and author of The Selfie Vote
Henry Barbour, Republican strategist, Mississippi
Paul Brathwaite,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>principal, Podesta Group
Dianne Bystrom, director, Center for Women and Politics, Iowa State University
Herman Cain, talk show host and former GOP presidential candidate
Maria Cardona, Democratic strategist and CNN Commentator, The Dewey Square Group
Frank Donatelli, former RNC deputy chairman and Reagan advisor
Sara Fagen, partner, DDC Advocacy
Peter Fenn, Democratic political strategist, Fenn Communications
Denise Feriozzi, deputy executive director, EMILY’s List
Karen Floyd, CEO, The Palladian Group and former South Carolina GOP chair
Aaron Ghitelman, communications manager, HeadCount
Andra Gillespie, polling analyst and political science professor, Emory University<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
Nathan L. Gonzales, editor, The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report
Lilly J. Goren, political science and global studies professor, Carroll University
Doug Gross, Iowa attorney and previous Republican gubernatorial nominee
O. Kay Henderson, news director, Radio Iowa
Ken Khachigian, senior partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Carl Leubsdorf, Washington columnist, The Dallas Morning News
Deb Lucia, Topeka 912 – the Capital City Tea Party
Matt Mackowiak, Republican consultant and president, Potomac Strategy Group, LLC
Dan Maffei, former Democratic congressman, New York
Phil Musser, chairman, IMGE digital media agency
Margie Omero, Democratic pollster, Purple Insights
Jon Ralston, host, "Ralston Live" on PBS affiliates in Nevada
Craig Robinson, founder and editor, TheIowaRepublican.com
Alan Rosenblatt, Ph.D., Sr. VP of digital strategy, turner4D
Dante Scala, political science professor, University of New Hampshire
Adam Sharp, head of news, government and elections, Twitter
Alex Smith, national chairman, College Republicans
Todd Spangler, Washington correspondent, Detroit Free Press
Kathy Sullivan, DNC committeewoman and former Democratic Party chair, New Hampshire
Special thanks to the Palladian Group for building our survey platform.
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