November 2016 is a long way away.

You wouldn’t know it, though, by the number of eager White House hopefuls who are lining up for the 17-month slog to Election Day.

Awaiting them are endless tours of states they’ll probably never visit again, neighborhood picnics where they’ll flip burgers and hot dogs, parades of babies they’re expected to kiss and intense scrutiny of every word they utter.

Meanwhile, let the bitter infighting begin.

Nearly 20 Republicans, including already-stepped-in-it Donald Trump, have declared. Hillary Clinton is trying again, literally keeping reporters behind a rope while lesser-known challengers from her Democratic Party throw their hats in the ring.

NIU’s Matt Streb, chair of the Department of Political Science; and DeKalb County Board Chair Mark Pietrowski Jr., associate director for the NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming; examine the growing field of candidates.