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Who gives us the best chance of taking down Trump in 2020? (Original Post) redstateblues Dec 2016 OP
I doubt he's even still president by then nini Dec 2016 #1
Too soon to ask that question. Let's wait & see who rises to the occasion. Now is the time to napi21 Dec 2016 #2
Have you seen the competitive races for 2018? exboyfil Dec 2016 #5
You'd never know we had a senate race on December 10th 2016 yeoman6987 Dec 2016 #11
I hope we can win all the state houses for the caucus so it has to be somebody strong MattP Dec 2016 #3
We'll be taking down republicans, but not Trump TexasMommaWithAHat Dec 2016 #4
That would be nice but I'm afraid it's wishful thinking redstateblues Dec 2016 #34
You mean taking down Pence? Freddie Dec 2016 #6
Biden. ALBliberal Dec 2016 #7
Trump, himself RandySF Dec 2016 #8
How about we stop looking for a presidential savior.... vi5 Dec 2016 #9
Absolutely!! LAS14 Dec 2016 #24
100% yes Worktodo Dec 2016 #54
This!!!!!! BainsBane Dec 2016 #59
You'd do better to focus on your local and state elections MineralMan Dec 2016 #10
Can't we talk about both? Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #12
You can talk about whatever you want. Just vote in MineralMan Dec 2016 #14
No. Not at all Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #17
yes, but we are much weaker in the states, so it's kind of weird that we neglect states completely. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #18
I agree Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #25
i would think in a state that is in tatters for the democrats would be La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #31
I think that we are ignored because it really is solidly red Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #40
yeah the too blue and too red problems are kinda similar. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #41
Yup Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #46
I'm in rural Virginia, between Lynchburg and Roanoke. phylny Dec 2016 #48
I think that your last part is a good idea for the DNC to look at Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #56
The Democratic party can't run a politician and expect to beat Trump. sarcasmo Dec 2016 #13
Who do you have in mind? workinclasszero Dec 2016 #16
I think the poster provided that answer: The Rock etherealtruth Dec 2016 #64
now is the time to get dems running in local and state levels. that will help 2018/2020 take care of msongs Dec 2016 #15
Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Xavier Becerra La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #19
I liked O'Malley a lot in the debates, but... LAS14 Dec 2016 #26
might be an issue of practice. let's see. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #30
I like your list... JHan Dec 2016 #27
i honestly dont know why people prattle on that we dont have a deep bench. we do. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #33
God, no. Not Cuomo. vi5 Dec 2016 #38
Cuomo is a highly effective governor. He is well respected and should def be in the game La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #42
He's been great on gay rights, but not much else. vi5 Dec 2016 #44
He's also been good on fracking and supporting ny La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #45
If there is an electoral college still djg21 Dec 2016 #52
LeBron James maybe? 0rganism Dec 2016 #20
. SonofaFidel Dec 2016 #21
Kanye? kentuck Dec 2016 #22
isn't Kanye in the psych ward atm? Grey Lemercier Dec 2016 #36
Fuck Kanye. He said he didn't vote but would have voted for Trump. n/t JustinL Dec 2016 #50
Seth Moulton of MA. smirkymonkey Dec 2016 #23
oooooh, I am liking him Grey Lemercier Dec 2016 #35
Very progressive AND a veteran! smirkymonkey Dec 2016 #39
Actually, I would propose Seth Moulton and Katherine Clark smirkymonkey Dec 2016 #61
This guy? rzemanfl Dec 2016 #28
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON! Table Dec 2016 #29
You the real MVP JHan Dec 2016 #32
The drive to end Medicare will ding some of these Repug Senators redstateblues Dec 2016 #37
Kamala Harris or Melinda Gates or Travis Kalanick. CK_John Dec 2016 #43
Off the top of my head Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #47
So, are we starting from an assumption that there Bettie Dec 2016 #49
Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, or someone of similar star power n/t JustinL Dec 2016 #51
Tim Ryan looks like a good bet; TuslaUltra Dec 2016 #53
Is Cory Booker a possibility? phylny Dec 2016 #55
That seems like a great idea! Booker/Warren (or even Warren/Booker)? Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2016 #57
It's far too early to say. MineralMan Dec 2016 #58
Bernie! Joe941 Dec 2016 #60
It won't be easy as it sounds Seasider Dec 2016 #62
When you're trying to unseat an unhinged bully-maniac, you might not need "excitement." MADem Dec 2016 #67
I wish Gavin Newsom would run. GaYellowDawg Dec 2016 #63
I would like to start now bdamomma Dec 2016 #65
I'm still an O'Malley fan, but my eyes are fixed on 2018 right now Recursion Dec 2016 #66

napi21

(45,806 posts)
2. Too soon to ask that question. Let's wait & see who rises to the occasion. Now is the time to
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 12:20 PM
Dec 2016

formulate a plan to win the Senate & the House!

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
5. Have you seen the competitive races for 2018?
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 12:30 PM
Dec 2016

We will be lucky to lose only 3 seats. There are only 8 Republican seats up, and Manchin in WV will probably be a Republican by then.

Which seats will turn to Democrat?

Heller in Nevada?
Flake in Arizona?
Fischer in Nebraska?

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
11. You'd never know we had a senate race on December 10th 2016
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 01:25 PM
Dec 2016

That's just 10 days from now. Not much discussion at all. Why give repugs another seat?

Freddie

(9,231 posts)
6. You mean taking down Pence?
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 12:34 PM
Dec 2016

I wish PA Gov. Tom Wolf would run for Pres. He's very popular in this now (supposedly) red state. But I think he's 68 and we need someone younger to run.

 

vi5

(13,305 posts)
9. How about we stop looking for a presidential savior....
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 01:05 PM
Dec 2016

..and instead focus on winning as many state houses, as many house seats, as many Senate seats as possible. Then we can focus on the best person for President that as many people want to vote for rather than threats about what they'll get if they don't vote for that person because
"OMG THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME!!!!!(I mean since the last election and until the next one where we'll tell you the same thing.).

LAS14

(13,749 posts)
24. Absolutely!!
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:42 PM
Dec 2016

Do we know any more about Obama's potential focus on gerrymandering after he leaves office? I don't have a picture of what people can do about it.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
10. You'd do better to focus on your local and state elections
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 01:07 PM
Dec 2016

in 2017 and 2018, frankly. We've ignored those for far, far too long. That will be the key to 2020 as well. Start looking and working locally. Change your city. Change your county. Change your state.

That has always been the key. We ignore that at our peril.

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
12. Can't we talk about both?
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 01:25 PM
Dec 2016

I know that 2018 is important but 2020 is important too. Or should we just wait until 2018 to start figuring it out? I find the reluctance here to discuss 2020 and future possible Presidential candidates weird.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
14. You can talk about whatever you want. Just vote in
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 01:31 PM
Dec 2016

every election. That's all I ask. It's not so much to ask, either, is it?

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
17. No. Not at all
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 03:03 PM
Dec 2016

And for the record, I've paid attention to politics since 1992 and voted since I turned 18 in 1994 in every.single.election (even off year ones if applicable).

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
25. I agree
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:42 PM
Dec 2016

though it seems like, depending on where you are, you're either blessed or cursed. Me. I live in Indiana (a more progressive bastion of it but still) and the Democratic Party is in tatters. I believe that we currently have a single statewide elected official (US Senator Joe Donnelly) and maybe one or two Democratic US House members(?) and Republicans have held the Governor's Mansion since 2005 and the Republicans have a supermajority in both the House and Senate, so the Democrats are completely ignored. Our Democratic Party infrastructure in the state is seemingly nonexistent. In fact, even when we win, we lose. The last Democratic State Superintendent basically got most of her power taken away and given to Mike Pence and Republicans in the Legislature also removed some of the Democratic City-Council control in Indianapolis. Indiana went Blue in 2008 for Barack Obama, which is about the only thing that anything remotely positive that has happened in recent years, though it was obvious a "fluke" since we went right back to voting Republican in 2012. We are about as Red of state as most of the South and I have no idea how we crawl out of this red morass. We had a pretty good run of control back in the 1990's with a string of Democratic governors (Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon) and partial control of the Legislature (I don't think we have ever controlled the Senate but we've had the House a few times). When O'Bannon died, it seems like the Indiana Democratic Party died with him. We have Voter ID here too, which I'm sure doesn't help matters. For the moment, it seems that things are pretty hopeless here for the foreseeable future.


How are things like where you are?

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
31. i would think in a state that is in tatters for the democrats would be
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:48 PM
Dec 2016

in some ways better to spend energy on. whereas a solid blue city and state like mine, almost dont matter.

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
40. I think that we are ignored because it really is solidly red
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 06:02 PM
Dec 2016

It is so red that Democrats have to practically sound and vote like a Republican or have their Republican opponent implode like what happened to Donnelly's opponent in 2012. It is really so bad that Blue Dogs like Evan Bayh are routinely tarred as being too "liberal" for Indiana. I'm sure that Donnelly is on the Democratic "Endangered Species List" for 2018 but who knows what will happen between now and then? Donnelly, thankfully, is getting out on front on Ryan's Medicare Privatization plan and Price's nomination to HHS, so that is promising at least.

phylny

(8,352 posts)
48. I'm in rural Virginia, between Lynchburg and Roanoke.
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 07:46 PM
Dec 2016

Generations of families have voted for Republicans. The poor either vote Republican or don't vote. There are a few African American communities within the area, but I wouldn't know how they vote (I'm not assuming they are a monolith). Most of the wealthy people around the lake vote Republican, although they are aging. God and church rule, with lots of Southern Baptists (we've heard comments that our ecumenical church "doesn't preach the bible&quot . Abortion is "sin," as is homosexuality to these people. They know little to no facts, because they always vote Republican and that's what they know. Big hunters - guns are in many homes.

Fox "News" is everywhere. No progressive channels, unless you have cable or satellite, and absolutely no progressive radio or literature. I'm planning to petition our library to stock authors with progressive ideas - I'm sure I'll get push back (one librarian raised her eyes and said, "Oh, my!" when I checked out "Memoirs of a Geisha" - I kid you not.)

There is always a great ground game in this area. We are heavily gerrymandered (our district is a joke). This past election, over 75% of the vote went to Trump/Republicans with about 24% going to Clinton/Democrats.

I am not smart enough to know how to help this. Unfortunately, I cannot make calls or do door-to-door visits, because I'm terribly intimidated by the thought and afraid to (just my personality, I don't fear for my safety). I tried, but my anxiety was too great, so the only way I know how to help is writing letters to the editor and donating money. I'm almost wondering how much money it costs to put up a billboard to list some hard monetary facts, and I might try to see if the local Democratic party wants to raise money in 2018.

I think it would help if there are any similar areas around the country that have had success and a blueprint to follow for changing from red to blue.

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
56. I think that your last part is a good idea for the DNC to look at
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 12:29 PM
Dec 2016

I wonder if such a place exists and what that might be able to teach us. Part of the problem too is just that getting a Republican voter to vote Democratic usually takes a disastrous Republican Presidency and/or a seriously unqualified Republican candidacy (though that has somewhat been proven to not always be true this last election) to ignore to build an overwhelming wave against Republicans like 2006 and 2008. But even then, it doesn't seem to take much to turn such people back to voting Republican again if Republicans can gin up enough outrage against Democratic officeholders like with the Republican Tea Party in 2010 and 2014. In recent history, the trend has been for us to have a Democratic President and Democratic Congress for two years before Republicans win back one or both chambers of Congress built on a wave of intense opposition and outrage to Democratic policies (in 1994 it was burning hatred of the Clintons paired with attempted healthcare reform and in 2010 it was burning hatred of President Obama paired with the enacted "Obamacare", Stimulus, Wall-Street bailout- which technically started under Bush II).

What we really need to figure out is how to break this cycle and not only keep Republican converts but convincing regular Democratic voters to come out for midterms. It seems like many Democratic voters, particularly those on the left, also are somewhat fickle if they don't feel like what the Democrats do after being elected is "progressive enough" or if they don't feel like the Democrats have accomplished enough but instead of voting Republican, they simply throw up their hands and stay home, which, of course, ultimately helps the Republicans, whose voters show up election and election no matter how much the Republicans let them down. Republican voters- to our detriment- are clearly focused on "the long game" and protecting what they feel is their interests by voting to keep Republicans in office no matter how bad they seem to be for the state of our country (mostly because the Republicans are good at scapegoating Democrats and progressive policies for the ills of society). We need to figure out how to keep Democratic voters invested in the political process and focusing on "the long game". It's a tricky situation and I don't envy anybody at the DNC trying to figure it out but I hope that the next DNC Chair focuses a lot of time on this.

msongs

(67,193 posts)
15. now is the time to get dems running in local and state levels. that will help 2018/2020 take care of
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 02:30 PM
Dec 2016

themselves

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
19. Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Xavier Becerra
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 03:16 PM
Dec 2016

Kirsten Gillibrand, Martin O'Malley.

lots of young-ish democrats who will have less legislative history, which has now become the desirable thing. Well, except for Cuomo.

LAS14

(13,749 posts)
26. I liked O'Malley a lot in the debates, but...
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:44 PM
Dec 2016

... the fact that he couldn't get more votes after hanging in there tells us he just doesn't have enough "charisma." Unfortunately, we do need that.

JHan

(10,173 posts)
27. I like your list...
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:45 PM
Dec 2016

(I was tempted to say "hillary" but that milkshake brings all the haters to the yard - my troll game isn't at 100% today)

 

vi5

(13,305 posts)
38. God, no. Not Cuomo.
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:57 PM
Dec 2016

Newsom, Harris, Becerra, or Gillibrand would all be great choices.

O'Malley...no issues with him legislatively but he's fairly boring and uninspiring and we will definitely need someone with charisma and great communication skills.

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
42. Cuomo is a highly effective governor. He is well respected and should def be in the game
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 06:04 PM
Dec 2016

I am not sure he can win a democratic primary, but he should be in the running.

 

vi5

(13,305 posts)
44. He's been great on gay rights, but not much else.
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 06:36 PM
Dec 2016

And yes I know that is a big, very important thing. I don't want to lose sight or diminish any of that.

But anyone who explicitly campaigns on and advertising cutting corporate taxes as he has done, is the kind of thing we need to move away from.

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
45. He's also been good on fracking and supporting ny
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 06:53 PM
Dec 2016

Local businesses. Also minimum wage increase. also paid family leave. Cuomo has quite a few accomplishments that appeals to a large number of voters.

 

djg21

(1,803 posts)
52. If there is an electoral college still
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 09:46 PM
Dec 2016

The Democratic candidate really needs to be from a swing state or a State within Dunfuckistan. The Deomcratic Party can't risk another candidate from the Northeast who cannot deliver a state that the Dems would not win in any event.

0rganism

(23,855 posts)
20. LeBron James maybe?
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 03:18 PM
Dec 2016

look at the coverage the fawning media whores are giving Trump's carrier "deal"
look at the coverage over the last year
by 2020, i expect them to be even more compliant and manufacturing high volume consent
i honestly don't see how we win the presidency in 2020
if we're lucky, we win back a few state legislatures and governorships before the next redistricting so as to make gains in the house by 2022

this is a long-haul disaster

SonofaFidel

(4 posts)
21. .
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 03:35 PM
Dec 2016

Unfortunately this. With the continued excitement of the racist/sexist Drumpf supporters, Drumpf stacking the supreme court with alt-right judges and more than likely beginning to lock up dissidents as ourselves I see now way out of this morass.

redstateblues

(10,565 posts)
37. The drive to end Medicare will ding some of these Repug Senators
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 05:55 PM
Dec 2016

Most of them would rather talk about it than grab the third rail.

Proud Liberal Dem

(24,353 posts)
47. Off the top of my head
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 07:18 PM
Dec 2016

Sherrod Brown is from the Rust Belt and, assuming he keeps his seat, he could be a viable candidate in 2020 and could potentially bring some of the Trump voters back into the Democratic fold. Elizabeth Warren could wind up being the woman who finally cracks the glass ceiling. She's tough, experienced, she doesn't have the baggage Hillary had and she's got the populist appeal of Bernie.

Bettie

(15,995 posts)
49. So, are we starting from an assumption that there
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 08:39 PM
Dec 2016

will be honest elections? Because at this point, I don't believe that is a reasonable assumption.

Now, they can pass whatever suppression laws they wish at a Federal level, allowing them to ensure that there is never another real election.

 

TuslaUltra

(75 posts)
53. Tim Ryan looks like a good bet;
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 09:47 PM
Dec 2016

from a swing state that Democrats cannot afford to lose in future elections, connects with WWC, etc.

phylny

(8,352 posts)
55. Is Cory Booker a possibility?
Thu Dec 1, 2016, 10:57 PM
Dec 2016

I like him personally, and if he chose a female V.P., it might excite voters.

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
58. It's far too early to say.
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 02:19 PM
Dec 2016

Wait and see what disasters Trump has planned. Then we can look for a 2020 candidate.

Seasider

(164 posts)
62. It won't be easy as it sounds
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 08:45 PM
Dec 2016

As elections go in this country, Democrats fall in love and Republicans fall in line. So unless Democrats find that candidate who will excite their base, it's not gonna matter how qualified and smart that candidate is. Trump will have the advantage of being an incumbent and unless things are in really bad shape, he will be hard to defeat in 2020. That's the sad truth. The system is set up to favor incumbents. In the past 50 years, I can only think of 2 examples where an incumbent President lost his re-election bid, 1980 and 1992. Both cases, you had a perfect storm of the incumbent losing popularity and the challenger igniting voters anxious for change.

Out of all the names listed for 2020, I just don't see anyone yet who could generate enough excitement and unseat an incumbent President but it's early.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
67. When you're trying to unseat an unhinged bully-maniac, you might not need "excitement."
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 09:13 PM
Dec 2016

Competence, intelligence, maturity and steadiness might all of a sudden be 'sexy.'

GaYellowDawg

(4,443 posts)
63. I wish Gavin Newsom would run.
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 08:49 PM
Dec 2016

Liberal, really intelligent, extraordinarily articulate, and charismatic as hell. Saw him first on Real Time and wished he'd run for a major office. Unfortunately he hasn't gotten beyond his term as lieutenant governor of CA, but who knows? You could make the case that LG of California is a bigger job than any given US Representative.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
66. I'm still an O'Malley fan, but my eyes are fixed on 2018 right now
Fri Dec 2, 2016, 08:53 PM
Dec 2016

Yours should be too.

Let's let some of those who want to carry the torch in 2020 prove themselves 2 years from now.

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