Would-have been Mayor Pete voter - where to go from here? Looking for ideas on next vote

[MD shmoo]

Was intending to vote for Mayor Pete in the primaries and now need to decide where to shift my vote. None of the remaining candidates are really feeling "right" to me. Make the pitch for why your preferred candidate should be the one to get my vote at this point.

[boston bean]

1. Well, I think Pete has been pretty clear

as to what he would hope you do.

Get behind the candidate most like him ideologically to beat the Trumpass.

[DanTex]

2. My pitch for Bernie is here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287609511

[we can do it]

3. Biden.

[still_one]

4. It depends on the reason why you supported Pete. If it was based on where he stood on

the issues, then the remaining choices among the candidates are pretty clear

[TwilightZone]

5. Realistically, only two candidates can win the nomination at this point.

Sanders and Biden. Warren might have an outside shot as an alternative at the convention in the event it's contested, but Bernie and Joe are really the only ones with a shot at an outright win before the convention.

That being the case, Mayor Pete is more aligned with Biden as far as policies go, and his staff noted that he was withdrawing in part as a strategic move so he wouldn't continuing drawing delegates from Biden. That doesn't mean everyone should rush to support Biden, of course, but clearly Pete feels that he would be a better choice for the nomination.

[rzemanfl]

6. What kind of socks do you like?

It's predictive.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. My favorite candidate has always been the one best suited to beat Trump.

Last edited Mon Mar 2, 2020, 10:48 AM - Edit history (1)

I understand that it's always a tricky thing to try to guess whom other people are likely to vote for, but when we're dealing with an existential threat like Trump I think that's the decision we have to make. If Trump stays in office we won't get any of the plans and programs that any of our candidates have promised - not Medicare for All, not Medicare for Those Who Want It, not an improved ACA - we'll be lucky to keep the Medicare we already have, and goodbye Medicaid. There will be no free college, no subsidized college, no free tuition at community college, no loan forgiveness; but plenty of high-interest student loans for scamming, unaccredited, for-profit colleges. Climate change will continue with no response from our government. Your taxes will stay low but the 1%'s will be even lower. More extremists judges will be appointed, and women's reproductive rights will be eliminated. Immigration "reform" will consist of the exclusion and deportation of brown people. Putin will get what he wants, and the rest of the world will view us as a rogue state. There is so much at stake in this election.

With that in mind I held off for a long time, just observing. I wanted to figure out which candidate had the best shot at defeating Trump and then set to work fixing all the things he had broken. My personal ideology tracks closest with Elizabeth Warren but I really liked Mayor Pete because he is so smart, calm and sensible. But I settled on Biden because of his unparalleled experience in government, both in the legislative and executive branches. Most importantly, because of his time as VP he has already worked with foreign leaders and will be best suited to restore our good relations with the rest of the world. If he was good enough for President Obama he's good enough for me. He has strong support among PoC and working-class people in swing states, whose votes will be necessary for any Democrat to win.

I rejected Bernie because he is divisive and has shown repeatedly that he doesn't work well with others. He has spent decades kicking Democrats in the nuts if they didn't accept his "progressive" ideas, and as a result, as president he would have trouble holding the support of his own (conveniently and temporarily chosen) party. His self-identification as a socialist will be the kiss of death in areas where Democratic voters are not far-left progressives. He has a lot of support among younger voters but they are notoriously unreliable - typical voter turnout among young voters is half that of voters over 50, who do not support him in large numbers. He also does not have the strong support of AA voters that Biden has. I don't think he can beat Trump, or even if he did, that he would be an effective president.

So that's why I'm supporting Biden. I love Mayor Pete and expect to see more of him, and I hope he has a place in a new Democratic administration.

[jmg257]

8. OK - I'll get right on that!...

Kidding - you should do your own research!