How Amy Klobuchar suddenly became a rival worth attacking in the 2020 Democratic presidential race

[question everything]

LAS VEGAS - In the nearly two weeks since her standout debate performance in New Hampshire, the momentum behind Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota had encountered nary a pothole. With a stack of endorsements from local and national newspapers lured by her centrist platform, a surprising third-place finish in New Hampshire and a cash infusion of $12 million, Klobuchar was suddenly awash in “top-tier candidate” punditry chatter and attracting a fresh — and often first — look from voters.

But with that sudden success came a withering torrent of criticism on the debate stage Wednesday night from rivals like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Both of them poll ahead of Klobuchar nationally and in some key Super Tuesday states like California, but they are seeking to halt her rise and win over her supporters before that pivotal day, as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont threatens to build an insurmountable delegate lead.

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In Klobuchar, who campaigns on protecting and improving the Affordable Care Act and has deeply personal stories about fighting for longer hospital stays after giving birth, Warren faces a new competitor for suburban, college-educated women, largely moderates, who have formed a new and crucial bloc of support for Democrats after President Donald Trump’s election. Buttigieg sees a candidate running an overall similar playbook to his — holding town halls and interviews on Fox News, knocking down “Medicare for All” proposals, making direct appeals through a Midwestern lens to independents and some Republicans — and who is closing in on his rise as a moderate alternative to Sanders.

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Though only a single metric with unknown effect on voters, to look at the endorsements Klobuchar has racked up — nine so far, double the amount of most of her rivals — is to get a window into how Klobuchar long laid the foundation for what appeared to be a very rapid rise from obscurity to winning national delegates.

Sitting in front of largely white and well-educated editorial boards across the country, made up of journalists who often have lengthy resumes of their own, Klobuchar was able to construct a portrait of her candidacy as one that was built on a bipartisan record in Congress and can appeal to independents.

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http://www.startribune.com/how-amy-klobuchar-suddenly-became-a-rival-worth-attacking-in-the-2020-democratic-presidential-race/568063952/

[FloridaBlues]

1. Amy was last week favorite it has changed this week to Warren. Flicked voters perhaps

[Garrett78]

3. Yeah. Anyone with momentum or any degree of success comes under attack. Happens every time.

Klobuchar, thanks to the fiasco, escaped really negative press coverage of her 5th place finish in a state that borders her own. But because of that poor showing, she wasn't anyone's target. Thus, it was easy for her to stay above the fray at the NH debate (and she spoke less than most of the other candidates). She had a solid performance without really ever having to get defensive.

That led to positive coverage and success in the NH primary.

Then, she became a target.

This is simply how these things work. Always.

[elleng]

2. 'Warren faces a new competitor for suburban, college-educated women, largely moderates,

who have formed a new and crucial bloc of support for Democrats after President Donald Trump’s election.'