As we bid farewell to 2013 and usher in 2014, it is natural to both reflect on the events of the past year and to take a look ahead to try and ascertain what the coming year has in store for us. However, in political circles, it is not enough to just forecast how things will play out in 2014; instead, people are breaking out their crystal balls and glancing ahead all the way to 2016.

Although we just turned the calendar to 2014, it is the presidential election in 2016 that is looming large on the horizon.

On the Democratic side, there are a number of names bantered about as possible presidential hopefuls. Yet, there may be just one person who has the ability to turn the race on its head by galvanizing the National Democratic Party and electrifying Democratic voters across the United States.

Although she stepped down from her position as Secretary of State eleven months ago, Hillary Clinton remains one of the most intriguing and influential political figures in the United States. With her 2016 presidential plans not yet resolved, the speculation about a possible run by Hillary has dominated the political landscape. Those considering seeking the Democratic nomination for president are essentially hamstrung by the woman whose mere presence in the background is casting a large shadow over the race. If Hillary ultimately decides to run, most, if not all, of the other Democratic presidential aspirants will probably have to seriously consider stepping aside in favor of the presumptive front-runner.

Her popularity is growing and there is a sense that she can fend off any of the Republicans who are eyeing a presidential run, so it seems Hillary Clinton is in the driver’s seat. If she wants the Democratic nomination for president in 2016, all she has to do is say the word and it will be like the splitting of the Red Sea—the political waters will part and she very well may have a clear path to her coronation at the Democratic National Convention.

For New Jersey voters, one of the early frontrunners on the Republican side hails from our very own backyard. With Governor Chris Christie’s decisive win on Election Day, the murmurs about his presidential possibilities intensified and speculation abounds as to whether or not he will throw his hat into the ring. One indication that Christie’s flirtation with a presidential race may indeed be serious is that The New York Times recently assigned reporter Michael Barbaro to cover Governor Christie with an eye towards a potential 2016 run.

After assigning a reporter to cover Hillary Clinton and her possible presidential campaign, The New York Times’ designation of Barbaro, who was tasked with covering Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the past several years, signifies just how seriously people are taking Chris Christie.

To further substantiate the idea that Christie 2016 might become a reality, it is also rumored that the Associated Press is contemplating assigning a reporter to exclusively cover Chris Christie in the not so distant future. At this point, it is quite probable that other media outlets will follow suit.

Although the election will not be held until November 8, 2016, that has not stopped the political pundits and the pollsters from trying to handicap the race at this early juncture. Recent polls indicate that if the race was held today, Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie would be running neck and neck.

It is worth noting that according to the polls, Hillary would easily beat any of the other Republicans who are contemplating presidential runs, including Congressman and former Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, Senators Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

As far as Chris Christie goes, New Jersey residents appear to have come to terms with the fact that their Governor may leave the State House for the White House.

According to a recent Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press Poll, nearly 70% of New Jersey residents believe that Chris Christie is planning to run for president in 2016. Although the rigors of a presidential campaign would inevitably cause Christie to spend a great deal of time away from the Garden State, 67% of New Jersey residents would not be especially bothered if Governor Christie ran.

Predicting the future is virtually impossible, but that has not stopped people in the political world from trying to do just that on a regular basis. The political phenomenon of “looking ahead” is quite routine in the world of presidential politics. Although their political predictions are not always accurate, that does not appear to stop people from prophesying what is in store for the presidency.

As we move into 2014 and beyond, New Jersey residents will certainly be paying attention to the 2016 presidential race to see what will become of their own Chris Christie. Only time will tell if Christie will make the move from his house in Mendham, New Jersey to that big white house on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington.

N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and a principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit troodlersTake.blogspot.com, or visit  www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: _troodler

By N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.