Rand Pauls youth appeal. Scott Walkers battle scars. Chris Christies swagger.
Its enough to make a 2014 campaign managers mouth water.
The next presidential election is two years away, but Republicans running for office this cycle already have an array of surrogate options when it comes to potential 2016 contenders.
To find out who tops their wish lists, POLITICO put the question in recent weeks to more than 25 GOP campaign managers, strategists and aides in competitive races across the country. Though it was not a scientific survey, their responses offered clues about which potential presidential hopefuls have the most cachet with down-ballot Republicans right now and why.
Operatives mentioned Paul more than any other prospective 2016 candidate. Christie followed despite the fallout from the so-called Bridgegate traffic scandal thanks largely to his continued fundraising prowess. In the next tier were Walker and Ted Cruz, whose diverging styles each appeal to segments of the GOP. After them, Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio each got multiple nods. It all speaks to the rowdy selection process that lies ahead for the party in 2016 and, in the meanwhile, the menu of prominent supporters available to candidates on the 2014 map.
(PHOTOS: Rand Pauls career)
Pauls popularity in interviews highlighted the multifaceted appeal the Kentucky senator enjoys as his stock rises within the GOP.
Campaign hands cited the sharp profile Paul has cut in the Senate; his fluency on issues like privacy and Obama administration accountability, which are buzzy among young conservatives and libertarians; and his ability to get supporters to open their checkbooks.
Rand Paul has a lot of grassroots energy hes tapping into, the youth and kind of libertarian movement that other candidates just really havent grabbed a hold of yet, so that makes him kind of a unique, different choice that could inject some energy into the campaign, said a source in one New Hampshire House race.
(Like many people interviewed for this story, the operative asked for anonymity. Aides often said they wanted to avoid alienating other potential surrogates or didnt want to get ahead of invitations that, in some cases, are still in the planning stage.)
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Rand Paul tops 2014 campaigns' wish list