The 2020 election is already heating up for the Democrats, as there are already eight candidates already announcing a presidential, with the potential of more following suit.
Sen. Kamala Harris, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg have announced their candidacies for the 2020 election. Other Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former secretary of housing and urban development Julian Castro and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand have formed exploratory committees to raise money for their candidacies.
Some other Democrats, such as former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Cory Booker, are expected to run as well. With such a large number of candidates, there will be many fighting to take the White House from president Donald Trump.
Michael Sances, apolitical science professor at the University of Memphis, said there are some advantages for Democrats having so many candidates.
“The advantage of having so many candidates is you have something for everybody,” Sances said. “The more people you have, the more likely you are to settle on someone who meets a sweet spot.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Sances also said the crowded primary may have a negative effect on the democrats’ chances of winning the presidency.
“The last crowded primary was with the Republicans in 2016,” Sances said. “I’m sure the Republicans are very happy they took the White House, but they barely did.”
Sances said the number of Democratic candidates may also become a problem during primary debates.
“That’s always the concern with primaries, that the party is going to rip itself apart and make itself look pretty bruised and battered going into the general election,” Sances said.
Willie Williams, the vice president of the UofM College Democrats, said he would love for debates to go back to the way they used to be.
“You have to insult your opponent (now),” Williams said. “They throw out something, and you have to refute it or join in immediately. Even with the presidential debate, nothing was really discussed. You’re trying to win the crowd.”
Despite the primary debates potentially becoming a problem for democrats, Williams said he likes the large number of candidates.
“I think large primaries are a good part of the democratic process,” Williams said. “You get a number of different people with different ideas and narrow it down.”
Williams said the Democrats will have to stay true to their party if they hope to win the White House.
“They would definitely have to get behind the new mainstream points the party has gotten behind.” Williams said. “They have to very clearly say, ‘This is what we want. This is what we stand by.’”
Otis Sanford, the Hardin Chair of Excellence and a professor of journalism at the UofM, shared his thoughts on the number of Democratic candidates.
“I think there is going to be many of them, and I think that’s fine,” Sanford said. “I’m not surprised by the number of democrats that are running. I expect there to be 15, maybe even 20, before it’s over.”
Sanford said he will be watching all of the Democratic candidates, as none have stood out to him so far.
“Obviously, like everybody else, I’m looking at Kamala Harris, who announced the other day,” Sanford said. “I’m waiting to see if former Vice President Joe Biden actually gets in.”
