Dear Democrats, please stop worrying about the 2020 election. It’s November and there is a long way to go until the big primary contests are decided.
There is no sure winner at this point and keep in mind Congressman Richard Gephardt was the 2004 Iowa primary winner and you know how far he went after that.
Many of my friends who just want to get rid of President Trump are moaning and groaning about the apparent shift of the party to the far left. I have urged them to stay calm and wait until the spring when the crystal ball will become clearer. It is still very cloudy.
For a while it looked like the progressive wing of the party had taken control of the party but things are changing. I like a fair fight and thankfully, a pair of moderate Democrats have entered the field, which will help keep it from tipping too far left.
I do not know whether former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has any real traction but he has pledged to spend $100 million to beat Donald Trump, and even if he is not a winner, fresh money to fight the Trump camp is most welcome. To start his efforts he has pledged up to $20 Million to enroll new voters.
Deval Patrick is an intelligent and capable person, but I doubt he will eclipse Corey Booker or Kamala Harris, who have been in the race from the beginning.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg is on the rise in Iowa and stopped the Elizabeth Warren boomlet. His candidacy sends a message that the party has not lost its mind and is willing to consider another moderate.
Even though he lacks extensive experience, Mayor Pete has raised enormous amounts of money – and has placed a big bet on Iowa. He could even win in New Hampshire but then he may hit a wall. I have nothing against progressives but I feel that America is not ready for a new revolution as we are going through the Trump era right now, which is just like a revolution.
If you are a Joe Biden fan, don’t count him out even with little cash and the age issue. The former Vice President’s resilience has surprised many people. He may make a few verbal slips from time-to-time but he is still the front-runner.
The contests in numerous mid-western states favor a moderate, and Biden could win many of those primaries. His base in those states are much stronger than Mayor Pete.
The only disappointment up to now is the failure of another female candidate, in addition to Elizabeth Warren to emerge, who can win the nomination outright.
Senators Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar are articulate and extremely capable but they have not risen to the top of the field. While there is plenty of time to emerge for the top spot, neither are on an upward rise. Both have raised a fair amount of money but there seems to be some ingredient missing that has kept them in the second tier.
At one point in time, I looked forward to the televised presidential debates but they are too crowded and there is very little time for an in-depth discussion of the most important issues. Two-minute sound bites just do not provide any political wisdom. It’s time for the party to cut the group down to a manageable size to make it interesting.
So for now, rest easy fellow Democrats. The battle is still in its early stage and so much could happen between now and the final primaries. Don’t believe the political pundits who are writing anyone off. Who knows?
Maybe President Trump will resign before there is a final impeachment vote just as President Nixon did, which will make the contest even more interesting. In any event, do not get too serious about the battle until May or June when the picture will be much clearer.
