Sherrod Brown Is the Real Deal--Could He Win It All in 2020?

[Qutzupalotl]

What’s the Ohio senator’s greatest appeal among grassroots Democrats? Authenticity, with a long track record of defending workers and fighting Wall Street and corporate power.
By William Greider January 11, 2019

The surprising news about Senator Sherrod Brown’s potential campaign for president is that George Will, the right-wing columnist, wants him to run. Really. No kidding.
....
On my second reading of his column, I realized that Will greatly admires Senator Brown the politician. Will even asserts that in the age of Liar Trump, Sherrod Brown could prove to be the Democratic Party’s strongest and most appealing nominee. If only he weren’t so darn liberal on issues like worker rights and free trade and Wall Street’s monopoly banking.
....
Let’s hope Senator Brown decides to join the White House contest, if only to show other Democrats what they need to know about government and society and how to deliver. He and I go back a long way—to the early 1990s, when Brown was first elected to the House and I was writing for Rolling Stone. He showed up one day at my office, promoting revival of the activist party. We didn’t exactly become buddies, but I found a high-road tutor in real-life politics. The subject: how a politician hangs on to principles in a system that rewards people for selling them out.
....
Senator Brown knows the story in detail, because during the last generation he was nearly always in the middle of the fight—resisting the corporate capture that reshaped the global trading system and liberated big banks and manufacturing from prudential rules that used to limit their plundering.
Other potential candidates embrace similar commitments for reform, but Sherrod Brown knows where the bodies are buried. The auto industry gave him a hard reminder recently when General Motors announced layoffs at its assembly plant in Youngstown; at the same time, it’s ramping up production of the same auto line in Mexico. Forget the nice people in those car ads. This is industrial hardball.
....
more:
https://www.thenation.com/article/sherrod-brown-2020-election-wall-street/

[empedocles]

1. The political hits will be coming soon, and

not just from the usual 'con suspects.

[PeeJ52]

2. I was pulling for Brown last year, but now so many are jumping on, I'm getting scared...

It worries me when a candidate starts appearing to be too good. One that appeals to the pretty far leaners to the left and the right....

[MaryMagdaline]

3. Love him!

[Qutzupalotl]

4. Brown would strengthen any ticket.

I would love any combination of Warren/Biden/Harris/Brown. We have a ton of good candidates this cycle, but IMO Brown has the best chance of beating Trump or any Republican. Brown appeals to factory workers, or really any workers.

Whoever wins Ohio likely wins it all. Brown can deliver Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, maybe even WV.

[ooky]

9. I like everything I see with Brown.

Last edited Sun Feb 10, 2019, 02:34 PM - Edit history (1)

I don't see a downside to him, and he could deliver Ohio. I don't readily see another candidate we can run who can deliver Ohio.

Edit: Downside is the potential loss of a Senate seat. But its a tradeoff I would gladly make for the White House, and we have the same downside with many of our other candidates.

[EndGOPPropaganda]

17. Senate seat loss is huge

[ooky]

19. Agree. But the White House is an even bigger gain.

[Garrett78]

12. We're not winning West Virginia.

But we'll more than likely win PA and MI, as we have in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections. And WI, as we have in 7 of the last 8 presidential elections. There were factors at play in 2016 that won't be factors in 2020. Such as Comey. Such as a candidate who had faced vicious attacks for 25 years. Such as the newness of Trump, which lured some who had simply been conditioned to hate Hillary.

Ohio is tougher, and while Brown would increase our chances there, we can ill afford to lose a Senate seat when we're already at such a disadvantage.

[qazplm135]

5. he could but

no more men...women or bust for me. It was time 20 years ago, it's beyond time now, and we have several who are more than qualified. If we want a male VP that's fine.

[IluvPitties]

7. Eh? What about letting the best candidate win?

[qazplm135]

11. please

want a strong progressive, vote Warren.

want a strong leader, vote Harris.

want someone who can win the Midwest, vote Klobachur.

Take your pick, there are no male candidates head and shoulders above any of those three women.

[IluvPitties]

13. Let's hear them debate, and let the best person win.

Male, female, minority, white, gay, straight... let them compete and show us what they got.

[qazplm135]

18. "the best person"

Rarely wins.

[MH1]

14. I'm not basing my selection on gender. And NO those 3 are not better than Brown.

There was a bill last session on an issue that is important to me. Supporting the bill required an understanding of the issue and willingness to stand up and do the right thing.

Sherrod Brown was the only potential primary prez candidate who cosponsored that bill as a Democrat. None of the 3 you mentioned did. Meaning either they don't understand, or they don't care, or they are on the wrong side of this issue. If Brown runs, it is unlikely I would pick anyone else. Although it would be nice to be able to vote for a woman, in the primary it has to be one who is on the correct side of this issue.

[Horizens]

16. Want to Win

With Sherrod Brown at the top of the ticket the Dems win Ohio, MI, PA, Wi, NY, NJ, CT, RI, VT, MD, VA, DE, MA, VA,
DC, MN, OR,CA, NM and IL. That's 277 Electoral votes - enough to win. No other candidate can make that claim.

AZ, NC, ME and FL would also be in Play.

I was thinking that Amy Klobucher would be the perfect running mate but now have doubts given the news about her this week.

[MH1]

8. Um... so a man can't get your vote, no matter what?

How is that different than the opposite view? (someone refusing to vote for a woman, merely because she is a woman)

[qazplm135]

10. because the opposing view is what's been done for 200+ years

it's time to vote for the female gender for a change than the male one.

Sorry not sorry.

[IluvPitties]

6. Wanna hear more from him before I make any judgement.

[UTUSN]

15. K&R

[sprinkleeninow]

20. I'm noticing him/considering him more and more lately. eom