Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio have already announced their respective bids for the 2016 Republican nomination. However, the field is expected to grow exponentially over the next several weeks, as former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, Dr. Ben Carson, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee are all expected to launch presidential campaigns in early May.

The field will not halt at those six candidates, as nine other Republicans- Chris Christie, Lindsey Graham, John Kasich, George Pataki, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, and Rick Perry- have all made significant moves towards a run. The bruising 2012 GOP contest had only eight candidates. Most analysts state that the effects of a tough primary battle pushed Governor Mitt Romney too far to the right, scaring off vital independents and moderate Republicans.

The eventual nominee will need to galvanize a deeply conservative base that has consistently stayed home during the general election in recent years. This necessity has led to the inclusion of far-right, if long-shot candidates such as Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and Rick Santorum. Many Republicans view former Florida Governor Jeb Bush as the candidate best-suited to take on likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, although Governor Bush has encountered problems shedding his moderate label. Governor Bush has been quietly executing his “shock and awe” fundraising campaign, aimed at accruing $100 million for the primary. His more conservative counterparts will have difficulties raising such a vast sum, but a candidate like Ted Cruz has already proven his fundraising virtuosity by raising more than $30 million in the early stages of his announcement.

Some establishment Republicans worry that a crowded field will reduce support for the eventual nominee, who is expected to maintain a fairly moderate record. Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson have never held elected office. Fiorina ran for California Senate and lost badly against Senator Barbara Boxer. Some wonder why they, among other fringe candidates, have made the decision to run in 2016 rather than throwing their support and conservative backing behind a candidate with a greater chance of success in the general election. In any event, the 2016 GOP primary is sure to either damage a moderate Republican nominee or choose an extreme Republican nominee with a lesser winning probability if the field indeed grows to fifteen candidates.