Democrats Divided on 2020 Candidate, Want Someone 'Completely New'
A new poll shows Democrats deeply divided over who they would like to see run for president in 2020, with voters very excited about a brand new face. However, when asked about existing names, one of the party’s most seasoned campaigners topped the list.
The poll also had a very clear message for 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton.
The USA Today/Suffolk University poll found that 59 percent of those responding listed themselves as “excited” about “someone entirely new,” USA Today reported.
However, when it came to real people, former Vice President Joe Biden topped the list with 53 percent “excited” at the prospect of his candidacy.
“He has the common touch,” said Thomas Maslany, 72, of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania.
The divide within the party is nothing new, one commentator said.
“The ‘someone new’ versus Joe Biden finding illustrates the generational divide within the Democratic Party dating back to Walter Mondale versus Gary Hart in 1984,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk Political Research Center.
That year, the more experienced Mondale won the nomination and lost to then-incumbent President Ronald Reagan in a landslide.
“The test is which candidate can build on their core ‘excitement’ and not lose the voters of other Democrats who fall by the wayside,” he said.
Thirty percent were “excited” about the possibility of a White House bid from Beto O’Rourke, who lost a much-publicized Senate campaign to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. However, the poll also found that 35 percent of those responding had never heard of O’Rourke.
Although Vermont’s Bernie Sanders made 36 percent of those responding “excited” over a possible candidacy, 41 percent said he should let 2016 be his swan song.
“Three years ago, Bernie was my favorite,” said Arlanna Spencer of Flagler Beach, Florida. “Now, I am not sure. I would like to see some fresh faces.”
2020 Run? Hillary Clinton’s Strange Christmas Tweet with Old White House Photo https://t.co/BdTKMePp9w
— Michael Moates (@freedom_moates) December 27, 2018
The party’s 2016 nominee was rejected by an even greater margin. Clinton was backed by 15 percent of those surveyed, but 70 percent said she should not run.
Former Clinton adviser says Hillary will run in 2020 – POLITICO https://t.co/Hf7vlyMuSg
— Katalin Pota ☮️ (@katalin_pota) December 18, 2018
Three incumbent senators drew fairly similar levels of support. Twenty-nine percent were “excited” about Kamala Harris of California mounting a challenge; 28 percent felt that way over Cory Booker of New Jersey and 27 backed Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
That was the good news for those senators.
On the flip side, 29 percent had not of Booker and 34 percent did not know Harris.
As for Warren, 33 percent said she should not run, 6 percentage points higher than the number supporting her.
The poll also found that 54 percent never heard of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and that far more voters were turned off by the possibility of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg running for president than supported him.
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