Will Sanders's 2016 supporters rally behind him this time?

[TexasTowelie]

By David Weigel, Washington Post


GREENBELT, Md. — On Saturday afternoon, as Julián Castro was announcing his presidential campaign in Texas and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was making her first campaign stop in New Hampshire, around 50 activists filed into a Maryland coffee shop with a mission: to draft Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) into the 2020 primary.

"We've been told the Bernie is not going to announce today," said Paul Butterworth, the scientist and political activist who'd organized the party. "Don't expect a surprise today. But I think it's inevitable that he will run."

It's not inevitable — Sanders seems genuinely conflicted about running again — but Butterfield's event was one of at least 400 house parties Saturday, from Alaska to Austria, designed to nudge him in. For 30 minutes, activists at each party watched a live stream of prominent Sanders supporters explaining to them that the only questions for a Sanders victory were whether he ran and whether his movement was ready.

“We want the man that was in the arena in 2016 to continue this journey, and we will be by his side,” Nina Turner, the president of Our Revolution, said on the live stream.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paloma/the-trailer/2019/01/13/the-trailer-will-sanders-s-2016-supporters-rally-behind-him-this-time/5c3954241b326b66fc5a1c2e/

[Sherman A1]

1. I will look at the list of candidates when it's primary time

And make my choice. Sanders would be high on my list, Andrew Yang is likewise. We will see after the field fills out and contracts as the process moves forward.

[brooklynite]

10. It IS Primary time...

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2019, 10:59 AM - Edit history (1)

If what you're saying is that you'll wait until it's time to vote, fine, but if you're going to join a campaign and help determine the outcome, better start shopping now.

[Sherman A1]

13. I understand your point but it is very early

In the process. I will wait awhile for it to develop.

[Apollyonus]

2. I'm sure Sanders will run

but it will be tough going because there will be far more inspiring candidates who would splinter his coalition badly.

[emulatorloo]

3. I'm ass-uming he'll endorse another primary candidates this time out.

on edit: Oh sounds like I am wrong

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/14/bernie-sanders-campaign-2020-election-1098795

[SamKnause]

4. I love Bernie !!!

[katmondoo]

5. Not me

[emulatorloo]

6. Vermont loves him, that is for sure. Both he and Leahy are very popular in Vermont

https://morningconsult.com/2019/01/10/americas-most-and-least-popular-senators-q4-2018/

In Vermont Bernie has 64% approval and Leahy has 62% approval.

[zanana1]

7. Only if he runs as a Democrat.

I was a volunteer in his first presidential campaign. I love the man, but he did split the party in two, making it harder for us to have a Democratic President. He would have to commit.

[NurseJackie]

8. I haven't checked... does he have any additional legislative accomplishments this time?

I'll be honest, he's never been someone that I've had any interest in "following his career"... so it's likely that I've overlooked some exciting announcement about some major accomplishment that he's responsible for. All I'm saying is, I suppose it's possible that he has a legislative accomplishment that I'm not aware of.

[TCJ70]

9. Depends on who else runs...

...this time around there will be plenty of choices to compare and contrast. I wouldn't have a problem voting for him again if he seems like the best choice out of the group.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

11. I Loved Bernie In 2016

I was attracted to his integrity (not taking any money from big-money donors was a big selling point for me). But he's just going to be too old in 2020. Likewise, I think Biden would be the PERFECT candidate, but for his age. People worry about voting for older candidates for fear that they'll die in office. That's just reality. So either we need to look for younger alternatives, or make sure that we present them with a running mate fully capable of stepping in to do the job. I've also had some philosophical disagreements with some of the things Bernie has done in the interim.

So this Bernie supporter is holding out for Sherrod Brown in 2020. Not only will he win, but he'll win HUGE. He is by far my favorite politician in Washington, and has been for a number of years.

[BlueWI]

15. Agree on Brown.

A Brown-Kloubuchar ticket would be unbeatable and very effective at legislative leadership.

[WeekiWater]

12. I think most of his supporters from the last round....

Will have "better" choices this time around. I think it was pretty clear last time in the run-up that most of them were hoping Warren or someone like her would be jumping in, not Sanders. Some have grown a deep emotional connection with Sanders and will not budge. I think Warren, Harris, and Gillibrand alone end any shot Sanders has. We are stacking it up on the left side of the spectrum. It is squeezing Sanders out.

[Gothmog]

14. I doubt that sanders will run in 2020

Time will tell but sanders will have to release full copies of his tax returns to get onto the ballot in Maryland and in some other blue states that will be adopting ballot access laws requiring release of full tax returns