2020 Democratic Presidential Nominee Weekly Power Rankings - October 30, 2019
This list looks at who I believe currently has the best chance of winning the 2020 Democratic Party nomination for President. Only notable individuals who have announced they are running or have formed an exploratory committee are included. I am not a political expert, so don’t take this too seriously. Feel free to provide feedback.
Notes for This Week:
- Tim Ryan finally ended his campaign.
- The fifth debate on November 20th is shaping up to probably have 10 candidates, with Klobuchar just becoming the 9th to qualify and O'Rourke not far behind.
- On Friday, we learned more details about the sixth primary debate.
- It takes place December 19th in Los Angeles, and it will be hosted by PBS and Politico.
- The criteria for qualifying have been increased again. Now, candidates have to hit 4% in four DNC-approved polls or 6% in two early state polls. Candidates are also required to have at least 200,000 unique donors.
- This debate could be the final blow for mid-level candidates. Right now, only the Top 5 candidates (as I have below) look to securely have a place on the stage.
1. Joe Biden
Previous Ranking: 1 (-)
Credentials: Vice President of the United States (2009–2017); U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973–2009)
Notes: There's not much to talk about outside the impeachment, so some interesting (if not important) stories are getting more traction. For example, Biden was denied communion at a South Carolina church this past Sunday because of his stance on abortion. Also, while most candidates are shunning big money, Biden's campaign has softened on the issue (possibly due to his less-than-stellar Q3 fundraising numbers). A former campaign aide has launched a Super PAC for the former VP.
2. Elizabeth Warren
Previous Ranking: 2 (-)Credentials: U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2013–Current); Assistant to the President for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2010–2011); Congressional Oversight Panel Chair for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (2008–2010)
3. Bernie Sanders
Previous Ranking: 3 (-)Credentials: U.S. Senator from Vermont (2007–Current); U.S. Representative from Vermont (1991–2007); Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (1981–1989)
4. Pete Buttigieg
Previous Ranking: 4 (-)
Credentials: Mayor of South Bend, Indiana (2012 — Current)
Notes: A poll out today shows that there is growing support for a gay president, though it looks like voters have more confidence in themselves than their neighbors. This is still a large hurdle for Buttigieg, as half of those polled said they were not ready.
5. Kamala Harris
Previous Ranking: 5 (-)
Credentials: U.S. Senator from California (2017–Current); Attorney General of California (2011–2017); District Attorney of San Francisco (2004–2011)
6. Andrew Yang
Previous Ranking: 6 (-)
Credentials: Entrepreneur
7. Cory Booker
Previous Ranking: 7 (-)
Credentials: U.S. Senator from New Jersey (2013-Present); Mayor of Newark, NJ (2006-2013); Newark City Council (1998-2002)
8. Beto O'Rourke
Previous Ranking: 8 (-)
Credentials: U.S. Representative from Texas (2013–2019); El Paso City Council (2005-2011)
Honorable Mentions, Tier 1
- Julian Castro, Former U.S. Secretary of HUD and Former Mayor of San Antonio
- Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Representative from Hawaii
- Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator from Minnesota
- Tom Steyer, Billionaire
Honorable Mentions, Tier 2
- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator from Colorado
- Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana
- John Delaney, Former U.S. Representative from Maryland
- Joe Sestak, Former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
- Marianne Williamson, Motivational Speaker & Self Help Author
General Reference Links
- Primary Polls - https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-primaries/democratic/
- Party Endorsements - https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-endorsements/democratic-primary/
- Candidate Media Coverage - https://fivethirtyeight.com/tag/media/
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