The top 10 Democratic presidential candidates for 2024, ranked

[Algernon Moncrieff]

WAPO

10. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: The more obvious path for the 32-year-old congresswoman would be to bide her time for the right opportunity to run for Senate. She passed on a primary against Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) this year, but she would have a good shot against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in 2024. Or she could go for an even higher office, for which she polled at 6 percent in that YouGov poll. She doesn’t seem to be taking the kind of steps that others on this list are, but she would have a built-in base, and the progressive lane will be significantly more open this time, since Sanders has said he’s very likely out. (Previous ranking: 10)

[True Dough]

1. Spoiler:

Pete is #2, and I'm here for it!!

[speak easy]

3. Pete is the most effective communicator of the lot,

with a killer instinct. If President Biden were to to retire, Buttigieg would be my preference too.

[Demsrule86]

39. I know that some here believe that the issue with our party is we don't 'communicate'. And

given the right-wing media, there is some truth to that. But it is more than that. Our message simply doesn't sell in certain states-not enough states that is for sure. Communication is not the issue. We need to start a grassroots, 50-state campaign to win hearts and minds. If we had a presidential election thrown into the House of Representatives, we would lose as of today. We must win more state delegations in order to prevent this...I believe the GOP will try if they lose the presidency in 24 or 28 to ''win" by throwing the election into the House.

[Demsrule86]

36. Do you really believe Pete could be elected in this homophobic country. I have a gay

daughter who can't even be sure of getting medical care in Ohio because of a law letting folks 'follow their conscience or despicable religious convictions' and refuse to offer her medical care...lifesaving or otherwise. We have multiple attacks on LGBTQ in different states with awful legislation such as the 'Don't Say Gay crap. And I don't believe Pete can win the rustbelt either. I really like Pete and think he is so talented but he won't win a general in 2024. Maybe someday our nation will live up to the promise of equality for all...including women, LGBTQ, people of color ETC...but it is not the case now.

[SKKY]

43. I agree, and was a Pete supporter from the beginning...

...but unless African-American males change their stance on homosexuals, it ain't happening. I wish it wasn't the case, but we still have a way to travel before that happens. And it kinda sucks because I believe Pete is a generational talent, unlike anything we've ever seen. Dude learned Finish just so he could read a book that didn't have an English translation. Seriously? Who does that?

[elleng]

2. 'The poll, from YouGov, asked about the 2024 Democratic presidential primary;

only 21 percent of Democratic-leaning voters said their choice was the incumbent Democratic president, Joe Biden. That put him barely ahead of the 18 percent who said they weren’t sure whom they supported; Vice President Harris and Bernie Sanders each had 14 percent shares.

This is not normal. We’ve seen some evidence that Democrats aren’t sold on nominating President Biden for a second term.'

Sounds like utter bull shit to me, fairly likely most not remotely interested in THINKING about '24 election.

[speak easy]

4. I wish any (theoretical) challenger good luck in SC

[emulatorloo]

5. Agreed, and while AOC is great she simply does not have the experience or chops to be President

Maybe in 15 or 20 years.

Respondents just dont sound serious at all.

[elleng]

6. Right, surely as to AOC.

(Daughter likes her a lot; I hope I should live so long.)

Just now thinking, AFTER '24, Booker and ???

[emulatorloo]

8. We just gotta get Joe back in for a second term, he's done so much good in spite of the Repubs

But yeah after that Booker, Pete, etc. We have some fantastic people coming up.

[elleng]

10. HECK YES 1, 2, 3!

[Demsrule86]

33. If some disgruntled Democrats stage a primary, in order to nominate someone other than

Biden then we are going to lose the General. In every election a sitting president has been primaried, we have lost the General...no exceptions. We would be completely foolish to give up the built-in incumbent advantage also. This would be just another election that we could have won but lost because of party divisions...instead of this dark scenario, we should pull together and reelect Joe Biden if possible. If not we need a different candidate than those listed in the WAPO piece as none can win the rustbelt.

[emulatorloo]

7. Amazing how effective the Republican Bullshit Machine has been at driving Biden's numbers down

Trapped in front of the fox tv at the gym today. They spent at least an hour fearmongering about an “invasion” of illegal immigrants coming that is all Biden’s fault. Then another hour on how Biden singlehandedly caused inflation.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. I am happy that Sanders is not on this list

[FBaggins]

17. Only because they interpret his comments to mean that he isn't in the race

The actual poll that the story is based on shows him tied with the VP for second.

[Demsrule86]

31. Sanders is older than Biden and has had a heart attack.

[FBaggins]

38. Both were true two years ago as well

Yet many on DU preferred him.

[Demsrule86]

42. And Sen. Sanders lost...a second loss. We do not need a divisive primary in 24. In fact Sanders

should not run again as a Senator because should he be unable to fulfill his duties for whatever reason, Vermont has a Republican governor who would undoubtedly appoint a Republican Senator.

[FBaggins]

44. There's no question that a "divisive primary" is bad news for the party involved

But that doesn't appear to be what the article in the OP is about.

Whether we like it or not, it is an open question who the Democratic nominee will be in 2024. And, thus, we will see more articles speculating on the field over the next year and a half or so.

But I don't expect it to be a story of one or more people on that list opposing the sitting president for the nomination.

Regardless - the list in the article and the poll on which it is based are really two different things. The poll indicates some significant support for Sanders - which the list turns into additional strength behind a couple of the more progressive names they think could actually be in the running. To me - the real takeaway is that many have no idea how to recover in 2024 and retain the White House

[Demsrule86]

47. It is not an open question. Biden has the best chance...

None of the candidates on that list can take the rust belt...which would mean we lose.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

50. For this thread

Link to tweet

[Demsrule86]

52. Perfect for this thread and he never gives up! +]1000n for you post.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

48. Sander's 2024 campaign was based on getting only 30% of the Democratic Vote and being nominee

That strategy never made sense to me and even with no money, Joe won the nomination easily. I doubt that sanders would be viable in 2024.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

49. Sanders 'has not ruled out another run' for president if Biden doesn't.

I am glad that Joe is running again

Link to tweet

[FBaggins]

51. I think he's out either way

Absent a miracle (e.g., significantly progressive legislation somehow passes and things somehow turn around in just a few months) I expect a very painful election season that the Sanders wing of the party will be blamed for.

He has no lane to run in even if Biden wakes up tomorrow and decides to retire while tens of millions of people decide that what we need next is an even older
President

[Tetrachloride]

11. This thread is a DISGRACE. It divides the Democratic Party

[murielm99]

13. Yep.

[W_HAMILTON]

14. I agree.

[PortTack]

15. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[Budi]

16. That's the intent.

Sick isn't it

[FBaggins]

18. How does that work exactly?

Are there other areas of our lives that go away if we put our heads in the sand or plug our ears and scream "la La LA!!!!" ?

The problem is that reality causes the Post to run such stories - not that some DUer is willing to discuss them.

[uponit7771]

28. This is false on its face and WAPO isn't past clickbait look at its Hunter Biden stories.

[Demsrule86]

30. If we primary a sitting president, we always always lose. There are no exceptions.

No candidate listed at WAPO has the ability to win the rust belt and thus the election. Those who think some miracle candidate will turn up and win what would be a bitter primary in 24 and then go on to win a General are the ones with their heads in the sand as clearly, we have to win the rust belt in order to win the presidency. I suggest you look at the maps at 270 to win and consider our situation with where we have to win

[FBaggins]

37. The OP is not solely in the context of a primary of a sitting president

No candidate listed at WAPO has the ability to win the rust belt and thus the election.

I'm not sure that anyone on that list or in the poll can win in 2024 unless public opinion changes substantially.

The good news is that it almost always does.

[GoCubsGo]

22. Yes, enough of this shit, already.

[uponit7771]

26. yep

[jaysunb]

12. My money is on Tim Ryan

No matter what happens in November.
I predict he wins the Senate seat and immediately turn his sights on the Whitehouse.

[Celerity]

21. If he wins the Senate seat in 2022, almost zero chance he runs for POTUS in 2024.

Book it.

[Demsrule86]

29. Tim could win the rust belt...he has ties to the important players but he is running for the Senate

and is unlikely to run for president in 24 should he win...maybe 2028 and that may be unlikely as well. But we lose a Senate seat that won't be easy to win.

[betsuni]

19. AOC: "She doesn't seem to be taking the kind of steps that others on this list are" -- there

are many reasons for that.

[Demsrule86]

25. I do not see AOC as a presidential candidate in 2024 or 2028.

[betsuni]

32. It would be a disaster and I blame Justice Democrats for using her, manufacturing

fictional life stories for their candidates. She could've had a very lucrative book deal but it fell through. Don't think she can run for higher office, either.

[rockfordfile]

20. This is some stupid crap. President Biden will be the 2024 candidate

[Celerity]

23. As I've said multiple times before, if Bilden doesn't run, it's going to be a shitshow of a primary

Anyone who doesn't immediately support Harris (who I honestly, atm, do not think can win in the general in 2024, which is, I am sure, heresy worthy of being burnt at the stake for some) is going to be subjected to severe abuse I fear from certain quarters, especially the worst troll parts of the so-called KHivers, especially on Twitter.

I will never forget nor forgive them AND the worst of the Bernie Bro/TYT crowd for the viscous attacks on Pete, Warren, and Biden and their supporters. Both groups, on balance, were toxic AF on social media last go-round. It so turns me off to see supporters of a candidate resort to non stop smears and slag-offs of others.

I so hope Bilden runs again, barring some severe medical issue. We do not need a massive brawl internally, especially facing a nightmare like Trump or DeathSentence.

[Demsrule86]

27. +1000 I think Biden will run. He seems to be in good health and we are only two years away.

There is an incumbency benefit that no other candidate would have. If Biden runs, there should be no primary...and I got to tell you any person who participates in a primary in 24 against Biden is on 'my never vote for this person in a presidential primary list...never, ever. We lose when a sitting president is primaried always...no exceptions.

[Celerity]

41. Agree. A nightmare scenario would be Sanders (as they are basically the same age) deciding to

give it one last shot, and then inflicting serious damage on Biden in the primaries, including the inevitable alienation of many Sanders supporters who will be attacked, I fear, with such venom they walk. That is a two way street, as attacks on Biden will also alienate potential voters from supporting him.

The entire case for Sanders as POTUS (bug giant programmes) is very likely kneecapped from the start anyway.

The Senate map for us in 2024 is insanely bad (worst in my lifetime in terms of imbalance of opportunities), so a POTUS Bernie likely will never have (at least in his first term) a chance to have have what Biden has atm (control of Congress), and that is not even discussing the House.

We have basically zero chance at flipping more than a single 2024 Senate seat from Red to Blue, and the one remote chance, FL, is not good at all.

The Rethugs have only 10 seats to defend. All are in Red states, all but Scott in FL in deep Red.

We, on the other hand, have to defend 23, with 14 of them potentially (or for sure) problematic, perilous races:

AZ We lose this if somehow, nightmarishly Sinema eeks out a primary win (which I doubt happens, but Gallego will still have a fight on his hands)
ME (if King retires)
MD (if Hogan runs)
MA (if Baker runs)
MI
MN
NV (especially if Sandoval runs)
NJ (Menendez is underwater)
OH
PA
VT (if Sanders retires and IF Phil Scott runs)
WV (if Justice runs, Manchin is likely toast, no Manchin run, the seat is likely gone for decades starting in January 2025 instead of January 2031), and even if no Justice run, Manchin is still in big trouble)
VA
WI

[Demsrule86]

24. Biden should run...we get an incumbent advantage...of those listed only Sherrod Brown would

have a chance of winning the rustbelt and thus the presidential election. But we would lose a Senate seat. I see no one on that list that can win the presidency in 2024. And if Biden opts to run, no one should run against him. Whenever that has been done...we have lost the presidency. The election is too important. We can't win without the rustbelt.

[yardwork]

34. This is not helpful.

[betsuni]

35. +1

[Demsrule86]

40. I will say this...I would not rec this post as I believe it is divisive and unless we pull together,

The GOP will get back in the office and God knows if our Republic can survive that.

[SmallFry]

45. We have a deep bench.

Lots of good names on the list. That said, the rankings are laughable, at best. Overall completely meaningless poll outside of putting for the perception that Biden is weak. Some really low brow shit.

[Emile]

46. #1 Joe Biden. Thanks WAPO

But we already knew that.