Even though the first term of the Trump administration is just five months old, many people do not think it is too soon to look forward to 2020. The folks at the Washington Examiner have taken a look at a site called Betonline.ag to see who might come out on top during the next presidential election. The long list of candidates and their odds are illuminating.
Donald Trump the odds-on favorite to win reelection
The Gamblers who put up money at BetOnline have given President Donald Trump 5/2 odds to win reelection, respectable considering his low poll numbers and the amount of controversy his administration has been generating.
The odds may reflect the poor prospects of Trump’s potential opponents as well as the enduring loyalty of his base more than anything else.
Other Republicans include Vice President Mike Pence at 6 to 1 odds, House Speaker Paul Ryan at 28 to 1, Sen. Marco Rubio at 40 to 1, and Sen. Ted Cruz at 66 to 1. These candidacies can only happen if Trump craters, gets impeached, or decides not to run for a second term.
What about the Democrats?
The most likely Democrats according to the oddsmakers include Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 8 to 1, Michelle Obama at 14 to 1, and Sen. Corey Booker at 20 To 1. Among the 2016 candidates, Bernie Sanders comes in at 20 to 1 and Hillary Clinton is at 28 to 1. Former Vice President Joe Biden is at 22 to 1 odds.
The weird and the long odds
Naturally, a number of names on the list are downright strange. Jon Stewart, the former host of the "Daily Show," has 50 to 1 odds. So are Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. Stephen Colbert, who has revived his career by being an anti-Trumper on “The Tonight Show” has 66 to 1 odds of being president.
Will Smith has the same odds of being the second African-American and second actor to become president.
Other actors and entertainers don’t have those chances. George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio each have 80 to 1 odds. For those who are hoping for a Trump dynasty, Ivanka has only 100 to 1 odds of following her father into the Oval Office.
The least likely to be president is Kayne West at 150 to 1 odds, something that Taylor Swift fans will certainly be happy about.
To be sure, the odds seem to reflect conventional thinking, with professional politicians on top and entertainers on the bottom. But, as 2016 taught us, anything can happen in a presidential contest. So, President Dwayne Johnson or President Stephen Colbert may not be impossible to imagine.
