Although the presidential primaries are still a little over a year away, there has been an anomalous amount of people running for President of the United States. In the Republican Party, there are only two candidates, former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld and the current President Donald Trump. These days, however, the world of politics has been focusing most of its attention on the Democratic Party.
In comparison to the Republican candidates, the Democratic Party has a whopping 22 candidates that have confirmed they are running for president in 2020. This has been the largest amount of candidates in the partyโs history. Amongst this group of candidates, it is the most diverse as well. The party is primarily made up of non-white members, women, and candidates with varying levels of notoriety.
Some โbig nameโ candidates that have received media traction are former Vice President Joe Biden and 2016 runner-up, Bernie Sanders. However, in the midst of all these candidates, the 2020 election has the potential to produce many presidential firsts. While there are two African American candidates, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, Harris could be the first African American woman nominated for president. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is the only Asian American candidate running thus far. Peter Buttigieg is the first openly gay politician to vie for the presidency, and if elected would also be the youngest president in American history. Former San Antonio Mayor, Julian Castro could become the first Latino president. House Representative Tulsi Gabbard could be the first Samoan and Hindu president. Any of the female senators such as Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar could be the first female president. Overall, this is an exciting time for Democrats all across the board.
With President Trump up for reelection, voters are looking to the Democrats for someone that stands a chance against him. This election will most definitely be about identity politics and the Democrats will have to play their cards right to make sure no demographic is left unheard, a mistake that was made back in 2016.
A lot is at stake for the Democrats. Besides running against President Trump who has the incumbent advantage, this election has the potential to set the tone for the Democrats' base. Since America has such a rich tapestry of diversity, voters are going to look for that representation in the government, if given the opportunity, in their president. This isnโt a cookie cutter bunch. A number of candidates identify with various factions ranging from progressive to centrist. Such diversity comes with a wide range of ideas brought to the table for the base to examine.
All in all, this is only the beginning of the long road to 2020. In the next coming months, there is a possibility that the playing field will further expand. These contenders will continue to be drilled by the American people on hard pressing issues, such as healthcare, climate change, and gun violence. They will be expected to take a stance on policies and asked for their four-year plan if elected president. As time continues, scandals and rumors on both sides will be brought to the media. This will not be an easy race for anyone.
Written by Lina Tate | Staff Writer
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