The top 15 possible 2020 Democratic nominees, ranked

[oppressedproletarian]

By Aaron Blake, The Washington Post

September 8 at 12:15 PM


We are a little more than a year away from the start of the 2020 presidential race.

In many ways it's already begun, of course, with President Trump running ads and doing campaign rallies. One Democratic congressman has even launched a campaign. But November 2018, right after the midterm election, is when a slew of Democrats are going to be really tempted to throw their hats in the ring. Given the field is likely to be as big as any we've ever seen, there will be a premium on getting started early, raising money and building a base.

It will also be tempting because there's no 800-pound gorilla in the field. There's no Hillary Clinton or even a Barack Obama — a high-profile rising star who seems destined for big things if he wanted to run — that we can see right now. Yes, there are front-runners, but both of them — Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden — would be the oldest president ever elected by more than half a decade. The Democratic Party is in a huge state of flux, and it's not clear who's leading it. It's basically Lord of the Flies.

That makes what I'm about to do both wildly speculative and lengthy. Below are what I see as the top 15 contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2020, ranked in ascending order.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/08/the-top-15-possible-2020-democratic-nominees-ranked/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-low_fix-top15-910am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.2921fe83c8db

[underpants]

1. Oh Top 15 not 20, that's why I didn't make the list. Seriously - no O'Malley?

I think Kampala as a VP would be great on any ticket.

Gov. Cuomo would be a good lead candidate too in my opinion.

[white_wolf]

3. I liked what little I saw of O'Malley in 2016

I'd love to see more of him again. I just hope he's not discouraged by his poor showing in 2016 because, honestly, I think Clinton and Sanders were just so big that they didn't leave room for anyone else. Biden would probably have changed that a bit, though.

[underpants]

7. I agree with every part of that. n/t

[elleng]

10. I doubt he's discouraged,

considering the work he's been doing to support Dem candidates NOW. I think he said the 2 'biggies' took the wind from his sails; he understands how the 'game' is/was played.

[white_wolf]

14. I think he'd have a real shot in 2020 if Biden or Sanders stays out.

And honestly, as much as I like both of them, I think it might be best. The party does need some new blood. I worry that Sanders or Biden would be too much a foregone conclusion.

[elleng]

15. He might have a shot.

I'd be happy with any of those, and hope the campaigns will be free and fair, with none taking the wind out of anyone's sails.

[elleng]

9. Jerks continually minimize him, his efforts, and his accomplishments.

He's been working all over to support Dem candidates.

[OnDoutside]

2. Ha ! I only just created a thread about Zuckerberg !!!

15. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg
The Facebook founder has offered not-quite-Shermanesque denials that he'll run, but pretty much everything else he's doing suggests he will. A few things keep him at the bottom of this list: 1) We don't know if he'd run as a Democrat or an independent; 2) He's got real problems given Facebook's role in spreading fake news in 2016 and, most recently, The Washington Post's revelation that it sold ads to Russians; and 3) I just don't see it. But he does have money — lots and lots of it

In here, https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029575649 it seems exactly that way to me too, and the story could have lots of legs, especially before he announces anything.

[Not Ruth]

4. If Bernie runs, Bernie wins

[StevieM]

6. If Bernie runs then he is a possible winner. But we won't know how the people will choose until

the people have chosen.

There are a lot of terrific possible candidates. I like Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington, myself.

[oppressedproletarian]

17. Jay Inslee is a good guy

I live in WA State.

[white_wolf]

24. I'd prefer him over Cuomo to be honest.

His anti-pot stance is a major issue for me. I don't smoke pot, but I think it's past time we end the drug war and legalization of marijuana is an easy first step.

[SCantiGOP]

19. Bernie, Biden and especially Brown

Too old. One bad mental or physical slip late in the campaign could turn a sure win into a loss.
I don't want to see anyone run who can't finish at least their first term before turning 70.

[Demsrule86]

30. He won't win the primary and cannot run as a Democrat as he chose to leave the party after the

election.

[lunamagica]

5. It doesn't matter who is nominated. It can be the best candidate EVER, but if the

shenanigans which cheated Hillary -and Gore, and possibly Kerry- out of the presidency aren't addressed and fixed, we will lose again

[MyOwnPeace]

28. THAT....

is a brilliant comment!
Really, think about it, how could any of those have lost? Fresh in the mind is Hillary's loss, but Gore - it was the Supreme Court theft!
And Kerry? Come on, a decorated war veteran "defeated" by a draft dodger and the "Swift Boaters?"

WAY TOO MUCH BS there to think that it would be a "slam-dunk" with a "good candidate!"

[lunamagica]

31. Thank you. It puzzles me how it seems that no one is considering that. We've had three outstanding

candidates losing to men much inferior in every way to them. There were irregularities (to say the least). I mean, two of them won the popular vote, one with an enormous margin! How can those elections be called legitimate? And yet, the calls are to forget the past, just move forward and find a great candidate again...and again...and again.

There's a lot that needs to be fixed before we even think about which candidates to choose.

[MyOwnPeace]

32. You're right - tons to be fixed...........

BUT we've got to get some power - both in state levels (this is a SERIOUS problem!) and in Congress.
2018 is SO crucial - we can't let the opportunity pass.
Again, great comment - we're on the same page!

[lunamagica]

33. Yes we are!

[Jarqui]

8. I like Bernie & Joe but I think they've missed their window

I like many of the women on the list

After our experience with Trump, I'm not eager for celebrities being a candidate. The president needs to have a clue about running the government.

I need to study the others.

The Dec 2006 cover of Time magazine didn't have Obama on it as a candidate for president. A lot can happen between now and Jan 2019

[StevieM]

12. My main concern is that the nominee be somebody who will focus on climate change.

We are running out of time--fast.

We need to elect someone like Al Gore. He may not run himself, but we can pick a nominee who shares his priorities.

[Jarqui]

18. Right now, we have a nut in the Oval Office flirting

with playing nuclear missile ping pong with a nut in North Korea

That same nut in the Oval Office has been attempting to end Obamacare without a replacement which will kill tens of thousands of Americans annually.

I'm sure we could all go on and on about the nut in the Oval Office.

We need a capable, intelligent leader in the White House who can shift their focus as circumstances present themselves while keeping the rudder steady on a good longer term direction for the country on issues like climate change. I think we just experienced one in Barack Obama.

The severity of these hurricanes is another reminder of just how important dealing with climate change is.

Improving the prosperity of the country and it's economy is important for climate change and other issues because it's easier to make a transition or implement a plan when one has the money to do so.

A thing we learned from Obama was that there are real limits to the president's power to implement change. We have to also elect a congress that will address climate change and not obstruct efforts to address it.

[StevieM]

11. "Oprah Winfrey/Mark Cuban/Howard Schultz/Bob Iger/Sheryl Sandberg"

They left off Tom Steyer from the list of businessmen. He is an environmentalist from California.

I want the next president to be someone like Al Gore, someone who will make climate change priority number one.

Personally, I like the governor of Washington Jay Inslee.

[Warpy]

13. Martin O'Malley is not on that list

but should be. There are others who should appear instead of media moguls and celebrities who happen to be Democrats.

The Democrats have to get smart and I'm afraid that means running a white male who knows how brutal campaigns can get. A bonus would be one with enough of a backbone to stand up to the GOP and correct the fuckers during debates. It would also help to run someone who is under 70, so we could be assured of 2 terms.

With only a couple of exceptions, this looks more like "A list of the worst people the Democrats could run in 2020.

[elleng]

36. Glad you noticed, Warpy,

and he sure as heck should be on the list.

The Democrats have to get smart.

[ucrdem]

16. 2nd term presidential elections are kind of a crap shoot.

Serious newcomers holding office will probably not want to waste the politica capital. A lot depends on Trump's performance going out. He inherited a roaring recovery at least on paper and so far he's more or less avoided crashing it. Shrub crashed it immediately and had to be saved by a serious military crisis. I don't think Trump is that type but he seems perfectly capable of doing nothing and keeping the electorate entertained with tweets and firings.

Anyway if Trump tanks I think that will kill the maverick-outsider category meaning Sanders will be out. He burned a lot of bridges last time and I don't think the results would be different in any case. Biden on the other hand has managed to burn very few by staying out of the foodfight and has a connection to the Obama WH which looks increasingly attractive with each passing month. So I think he stands a good chance if Trump fumbles.

[Not Ruth]

20. The over 70's have nothing to lose, in a world still ruled by ageism, this is their shot

Maybe the over 60's too, considering the breadth of their competition for 2024 and 2028. For the up and comers, if they cannot beat Trump, that is going to drag on them going forward.

[Turbineguy]

21. The key to success

is to have lots of candidates. Enough at any rate to cause the right-wing-hate-machine to trip out on overspeed.

[Skittles]

22. NO to Bernie and Biden

ENOUGH ALREADY

MOVE THE FUCK ON

[nkpolitics1212]

23. How come Chris Murphy-CT is number 3 on the list?

He announced that he is not interested in running.

[nkpolitics1212]

25. I am surprised that Jeff Merkley-OR is not on that list.

He was the first Democratic US Senator to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016.

[samnsara]

26. joe over bernie hands down..theres no comparison...

...joes done a lot and he has a fire in his belly.

[CentralMass]

27. That #1 is going to have some heads spinning.

[Duppers]

38. Question: would DUers support Sanders?

If he became the candidate?

Some here act as if they'd leave the party first!

[CentralMass]

39. I would support him.

[Demsrule86]

29. Bernie would be 80 in the 2020 or close to it...just don't see it happening. I also do not believe

he can win a primary in 20 either.

[woolldog]

35. He can't win the primary.

But he can damage the front runner enough to cripple the Dem's chances in the general election, just like he did in 2016.

[Demsrule86]

40. I agree. This is why I hope he won't run. We will see his character when he makes this

decision.

[TeamPooka]

34. Dumbest list I've ever seen. When it opened with Zuckerberg and Garcetti I knew I wouldn't

need to take it seriously.

[sarcasmo]

37. Kamala Harris & Joe Kennedy ticket. Time for a rebirth.