Who is running for President?
A look into the candidates running for president in this up coming 2020 election. Credit: Ava Weinreb
September 18, 2019
Bennet is the sitting senator for the state of Colorado since 2010, when he first started his political career, although prior he served as a lawyer for the United States Justice department specializing in international law. This is Bennet’s first presidential campaign with focuses specifically on issues such as support for the middle class, election security, climate change policies, expansion of voting rights, including automatic registration and extended early voting opportunities and health care reform. Bennet does not qualify for the third debate, but continues to gain popularity in the polls over Steyer and Sestak.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is taking on his presidential campaign. While he took the campaign trail head on in both 2008 and 2012, accompanying his former running mate President Barack Obama, this is Biden’s final attempt to run after running twice before this 2020 election. Formerly serving as senator, Biden is known for pioneering politics at a young age, becoming one of the youngest sitting senators. Now Biden focuses his campaign mainly on supporting the middle class, redefining the United States on a global stage and creating equal opportunity for low income workers. Biden is currently leading in the polls with a 30.4 poll average.
Current Senator of New Jersey and former Mayor of Newark Booker is now taking on his first presidential campaign. Booker’s main focus throughout his entire political career has been racial inequality, including criminal justice reform, creating economic opportunity and equal justice. Booker plans to continue equal rights advocacy in the 2020 election by focusing on the criminal justice system, LGBTQ+ rights, climate policies and gun reform. With only three candidates trailing behind him in the polls, Booker currently has an increasing approval rating of 2.4.
Bullock currently serves as the Governor of Montana, a traditionally red state, and also formerly served as the State Attorney General. Bullock commonly prides himself at being able to win a red state under a liberal agenda, and working across the aisle to come to an agreement, which allowed him to win his election. Commonly focusing on the economic standards and needs of the United States, Bullock intends to continue to fight against big money in America as well as finance reform, increasing early childhood and creating economic equality. Bullock currently does not meet the poll numbers to participate in the climate debate, although he lies in a tie with Bennet with a 0.6 approval rating and not far behind him follows Williamson with 0.5 in the polls.
Currently serving as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete is known for his former military service as well as his LGBTQ+ advocacy after becoming the first gay mayor in Indiana.
Mayor Pete has a short history in politics but makes up for his lack of experience in Capitol Hill politics with real life experiences as well as his age. Most recently Mayor Pete has stressed his policy plans involving climate change, addiction and mental health awareness and economic equality for rural America. Currently, Buttigieg is leading in the top five for the RCP average and continues to be a front runner in the debates.
Formerly serving as Mayor of San Antonio and later Housing Secretary, Castro’s main topic of concern continues to be immigration and border-crossing concerns. Castro’s immigrant family pulls personal ties to his campaign as he continues to push for economic equality among immigrants as well. Another large expansion program Castro focuses on is universal education and education equality, including free university and bettering the public school system. Currently Castro is in the top ten with 0.8 approval and a strong candidate in the debates, drawing attention concerning policy plans supporting the Green New Deal.
As the current Mayor of New York City, de Blasio mainly focuses his campaign on fighting big money and creating a universal pre-kindergarten. De Blasio plans to push income equality in his progressive campaign. Currently trailing .2 points behind Castro, de Blasio is crawling up to the top 10.
Delaney gave up his job as a businessman and entrepreneur and exchanged it for life a policy and lawmaking as a former congressman of Maryland. Delaney led many policies into Congress, earning himself the title of one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” according to Fortune Magazine. Delaney considers himself a great bipartisan leader and tackles debates from both sides, although has taken a strong stance on what is to be more liberal issues such as universal healthcare. Delaney, ranked among the lower scoring poll averages, continues to campaign under his promises of mending bipartisan issues as the country heads into some of its most divided times.
One of the 5 women running under the Democratic Party, Gabbard formerly served as an Army National Guard and later adopted a life of politics, becoming a current sitting Congresswoman for Hawaii. Gabbard started her race with a rocky start after it was discovered that she was employed by an anti-gay advocacy group, as well as that she had made many anti- LGBTQ+ comments. She has since apologized and even taken on supporting other candidates, such as Bernie Sanders in the 2016 election, that support LGBTQ+ rights. Gabbard mainly focuses her campaign on international relations, most specifically turmoil in the Middle East, including bomb talks with Syria. Pulling personal anecdotes from her time formally served in the military, Gabbard has taken a strong stance in opposing further military intervention in terrorist nations. Taking a strong lead in the top ten with a 1.7 poll rating, Gabbard has continued to rise in the polls ever since the launch of her presidential campaign.
One of the leading women in the 2020 presidential race, former District Attorney and the Attorney General for the state of California, current Senator of California Kamala Harris has gathered a plethora of media attention throughout the beginning stages of the race. Harris has become one of the few Democratic senators to enter the White House since the election in 2016 and has gathered a strong reputation around her ability to create and debate policy plans. Harris continues her work in the Senate through to her campaign in advocating for tax cuts in the lower and middle class as well as working for a strong civil rights agenda aligned with liberal views. After a recent dip in poll ratings, Harris is steadily climbing back up in the ratings and holding a strong position at number four with a poll average of 7.2.
A former Minnesota attorney, Klobachar gained popularity after her strong questioning of Justice Kavanaugh during his hearing last hear. Klobuchar currently serves as the Senator from Minnesota, focusing on issues such as opioid addiction and the cost crisis on prescription drugs on the floor and in her campaign, also claiming the ability to win swing states that Democrats must win in order to gain control in the election. Taking a lead in the top ten, Klobuchar holds onto her poll average of 1.0 above other strong candidates, such as Castro.
Becoming the first African American mayor of Miramar Beach, Florida, former college football champion Mayor Wayne Messam is the only African American man on the ballot for this election. As a child of immigrant parents from Jamaica, Messam hopes to create stronger ties with small islands outside the United States, including the Bahamas. Messam has also taken strong stances on gun control, immigration reform and environmental policies, strongly aligning himself with a liberal agenda. His main topic of concern being student debt, he proposes that more than 1.4 trillion of student debt should be canceled for the over 44 million Americans it affects. While having a strong stance on the political divide, Messam has seen no growth in the polls with a continued average of 0.0.
Gaining national media attention with his latest attempt to become a Texas senator against the strong candidate Ted Cruz, former congressman O’Rourke has held on to the widespread coverage throughout his campaign. Being from El Paso, O’Rourke considers his biggest issue to be immigration policy and expanding the legal rights to become an American citizen. Not only is he concerned with immigration, he also focuses on the decriminalization of recreational marijuana as well as the expansion of access hospitals in rural areas. Spiking in the polls after the first town hall in which he discussed his stance on immigration reform, Beto continues to grow his support as he takes on other topics such as gun reform, which he has shown great passion for after his home town on El Paso experienced two large scale shootings. Holding a poll average of 2.3, Beto holds a strong spot in the top ten.
Graduating from former congressional staff member, Ryan currently serves as a congressman from Ohio, supporting issues such as economic equality and international trade. Advocating for the working middle class, Ryan has pushed for an expansion of union and workforce rights in order to help support their demands. In addition, Ryan wishes to lower what he considered to be China’s manipulation of currency as well as strengthen trade deals with large production countries. Among the bottom four candidates, Ryan holds a poll average of 0.3 and has not seen much growth since the beginning of his campaign.
Long time politician Bernie Sanders currently serves as a Senator for Vermont after formerly serving as the state’s congressman. Sanders has a long history in the world of politics, including his advocacy policies and actions during the Civil Rights movement. Considering himself a Socialist candidate, Sanders has a strong stance on many social issues, such as free Medicare for all and support for immigrant families. In addition, he has advocated for free university as well as lessening the influence of billionaires on the economy. Currently holding third, Sanders has a high poll rating of 17.7 and has only seen an increase in support since his campaign launched.
Former Navy Admiral and congressman for Pennsylvania, Stestak is the highest ranked formal Naval officer ever to sit in Congress. His win was considered unlikely in the 2010 election, but he has since proven his ability to act in Congress. Delaying his campaign to help his daughter fight brain cancer, Stestak has seen little support in the polls with an average of 0.0 and no growth since the launch of his campaign. Considering climate awareness to be his biggest topic of concern, Stestak also believes America needs to reestablish its place in the world by using international relations and trade deals.
Climate change and impeachment activist Tom Steyer has re-entered the race after denying his campaign in the early stages. Formerly working for a billion dollar hedge fund as an executive, Steyer now works as an activist for climate awareness and has taken on a large political role after his talks of his desire to impeach the current president, Donald Trump. Steyer carries these ideals into his campaign, making a main focus to be on climate advocacy and a transition to clean and renewable energy. Ranking low in the polls, Steyer has a poll average of 0.5, although has seen growth in his campaign since he announced he would officially run.
Of the five women running in the 2020 election, Warren has the strongest and most widespread support. Serving as a current Senator of Massachusetts after leaving her life as a professor at Harvard University, Warren has focused her attention to political and economic equality for the working middle class, more specifically income inequality and the targeting of the middle class from big business. Warren holds a high poll average of 18.0 and her support continues to climb following the previous dip after claims of her strong and prevalent Native American heritage, which was later considered to be minuscule, leading to her public apology.
With little political background, self-help novelist and new age lecturer Marianne Williamson has dove head first into the crazy world of politics. Focusing mainly on economic compensation, Williamson plans to set policy into place giving 100 billion dollars in reparations to those effected by slavery. In addition, she plans to increase the budget by ten billion dollars for educational and economic projects, which would be increasingly distributed throughout the decade. Williamson holds a low rating poll average of 0.3, and has seen a recent drop in support after her approach to the recent hurricane Dorian, claiming that the hurricane could alter its track throughout the power of her mind.
With a background in business and tech, Yang has taken his first steps into politics by taking on a newer more technical approach. His economic plan to give every American family 1,000 dollars every month has taken a strong liberal and socialist alignment. While his economic plan may seem radical, Yang holds polling averages in the top ten, with an average of 2.7, above other more popular candidates, such as O’Rourke. Yang has criticized the media for his lack of coverage because of his formal experience in entrepreneurship and tech rather than in the familiar faces of politics. Yang continues to grow support after his stance on a switch to clean and renewable energy during the climate debates.
Trump is the current sitting President and won his first election back in 2016. Since his election, Trump has dealt with issues including stricter immigration laws, adding international trade taxes, lessening the research power of the EPA, supporting the NRA and holding talks with Communist leaders such as Putin and Kim Jong Un. So far, Trump continues to be the leader in the Republican popularity polls, projecting him to become the Republican Party nominee.
The former Congressman for Illinois, Joe Walsh, after serving his time in the House of Representatives, spent his time hosting a political talk show on the radio. The show gained a lot of attention after it was accused of saying numerous racist, sexist and homophobic remarks. Walsh never denied saying the comments or apologized, but did deny that he himself was racist. While his views are strongly aligned with the Republican Party, he has spoken out against Trump and some of his actions as president.
Throughout his campaign, Walsh has focused on aiding national debt, restraining executive power and defeating the standing President Trump.
Acting as a federal prosecutor, Weld later gave up his job in the act of defending the law and adopted a job in creating it as the Governor of Massachusetts. This isn’t Weld’s first stab at a national campaign, as he previously ran for Vice President under the Libertarian Party. While he is running under the Republican Party now, Weld has been strongly against Trump and his actions since his election in 2016, especially concerning immigration policy. Weld now focuses his campaign on fiscal restraint, free trade, immigration reform and the legalization of marijuana.
Being the latest to enter the presidential race, current South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has announced he will run under the Republican Party, challenging President Trump. Sanford believes that many have lost sign of true Republican values at the hands of Donald Trump and claims that his term in office would reinstate those values lost. Sanford has built his campaign on the promises of lowering the national debt, reducing central government power and lowering taxes.