Which 2020 Democrat CAN defeat Trump?

Politics & Elections
1

I like many on this board saw no way to a Trump White House (pretty sure Trump did not either). But the fact remains that Trump tapped into some real frustration with the “staus quo” democrats. Trump also did very well with independents and many “white” working class voters that might normally vote democratic (i.e. rust belt voters).

I am actually scared to death that a man with a below average IQ (I would BET MONEY he is south of 110), a strong propsenity to lie first (and double down on that lie) and that is about as corrupt as any politician since Nixon might actually run this country for 4 more years.

So as we start to look at the 2020 democrats I have some serious concerns about who is the best candidate to beat Trump.

Joe Biden - He is far from the fresh/new Democratic face that i think will be very important to win people back.

Elizabeth Warren - While I personally love how motivated she is/would be to beat Trump I have some serious concerns about her ability to get any but the most progressive votes. I do not dislike her but believe this would likely be the best Trump 2020 scenario.

Kamala Harris - She punches a lot of the boxes you want to see in terms of her race, gender, location (California Dollars) and I like that she was an AG.

Bernie - I like a lot of what Bernie stands for (single payer, education, net neutrality, global warming, veteran support, wall street reform) but he is also a little out there on other issues for me personally and - again - he just does not come across as Presidential and would instantly scare off many middle of the aisle voters.

Cory Booker - His ties to Wall Street while not ideal for democrats might get him closer to center for some voters and I think he would be a handful for Trump in a debate! He is a fresh face and can energize the democrats but could he win?

The trend here is that at least 3 of the top candidates all seem like a good scenario for Trump. This is not about the hardcore progressives or staunch conservatives… it is about winning the working class. I am hopeful a lot of Trump’s exposed lies (tax breaks will help the working class) and clear self enrichment over well being of the country (Russia) and maybe a scandal or two before 2020 (Mueller Probe, more payoffs, collusion, an epic wild twitter rant et al) will derail the Trump train but very unlike 2016, I am worried.

2

The one with a solid message that resonates with voters can beat Trump. Since we’ve not begun the campaign season yet, I don’t have an answer to this. If none of them have a solid message that resonates with voters, then none of them can beat Trump.

That being said, I think the person on top of the ticket needs to be a guy (this time around), so that leaves Warren and Harris out.

3

If the answer to this question is not “any as long as they have a pulse - and even that specification is up in the air”, just start lobbing the nukes at random.

4

Biden could.

Harris isnt even all that popular here in CA.

Warren and Bernie are too radical.

Tim Kaine: Southerner. Rather bland, but that is likely a Good Thing.

Martin OMalley: Southerner. Rather bland, but that is likely a Good Thing.

Jim Webb: Southerner. Rather bland, but that is likely a Good Thing.

Are you getting the trend? Us Democrats need a bland southerner or a rust belter. Joe Donnelly. Bill Nelson, maybe but he is kinda old. Joe Manchin. Southerner and rust belter.

Now, sure, even tho I dont care for her, Harris as a Veep might be a good choice. Or Tammy Duckworth, even better, a rust belter. McCaskill.

5

I agree with everything thing DrDeth said, but wanted to highlight the Biden comment. Biden would mop the floor with Trump.

6

Pretty much any Democrat stands a strong chance - including Hillary. Only people like Whoopi Goldberg or Rosie O’Donnell would be an underdog.

Trump is pretty much a 10-point underdog going into the reelection cycle.

7

He was in last election, too. The thing is, you need to win electoral votes.

We need a Southerner or a rust belter. And someone not extra open to the fake news game. I personally like Hillary, but she is too big of a target, sadly. So also would Warren or Harris (maybe) or Bernie.

8

Average is 100. And aren’t about two-thirds of people in the 90-110 range?

She may punch a lot of the boxes you or West Coast Democrats may like to see, but those may not be boxes that the American political center or swing vote wants to see.

9

I think Biden and Bernie’s shelf life has expired at this point. JMHO, but I think Biden should have run in the last election and missed his chance. And Bernie already failed. Myself, I’d vote for Biden if he ran but not sure mine is the majority view among US voters. Let’s see…Warren I think would motivate the Republican base a lot more than the others on the list, but I suppose she would be a good choice to get the Progressives motivated and out voting (if Trump himself is STILL not enough to get Dems to vote for anyone on their side with a pulse). I honestly don’t know a lot about Harris, so no opinion there. I don’t think she has any sort of national impact right now, but that doesn’t matter as the campaign season hasn’t even started and it’s anyone’s game atm. Same goes for Booker, at least from my perspective.

If it were any other party, I’d say that anyone with a pulse SHOULD be able to beat Trump, especially after 2 more years of the shit we’ve had for the last 2. But the Dems always seem poised to snatch defeat from the slavering jaws of victory, and since the party is so divided between moderates, progressives, liberals and loonie lefty factions it’s hard to say if they can get their shit together to defeat Trump in 2020. My hope is that it becomes moot (or mute) with Trump being impeached, disgraced and sent to the big house. That’s the only sure way.

10

Yep, and not even all that popular in CA. I think she is getting help from the fake news people, who would love to have her to run against.

11

That might be the most electable type, but it’s not going to happen. Tim Kaine is at the outer fringe of possibility but somebody as out of tune with the left base as Jim Webb or Manchin is a complete fantasy. Or not even ultimately electable because in the fantasy scenario of them getting shoved down the throats of the primary base, then that base would be turned off from voting (or to a lesser extent go to the Greens or some other splinter).

But it is a lot about persona and resonance of the persona as well or more than the message. It could be somebody can appeal to the left base and not be too radical, or too hard to imagine as president (that’s still possible even after Trump, it’s one of Bernie’s problem for example besides his age) and beat Trump. Very possible. But there are ones Trump could beat, and there are ones with a good chance v Trump who would never get nominated by today’s Democratic primary base.

Even among the possible though IMO very hard to predict whether somebody very serious (Kaine for example) or somebody kind of goofy who says stupid stuff sometimes if not as often as Trump (Biden) is a better competitor to Trump. Hillary was on the serious side, it doesn’t mean that’s why she lost.

12

Biden is the only one I see that has a chance to win back the white working class former Obama voters who gave Trump a chance. That will be key, IMO. I don’t think going left of Clinton is going to work frankly.

13

John Hickenlooper, governor of Colorado.

14

I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I think Ret. Adm. Bill McRaven could be a good candidate, especially paired up with a progressive woman, black or Latina.

15

I agree that Biden could. He’s the “genuine article”, he’s got that Irish moxie and machismo and he could take on Trump in a debate without cracking, and throw out lots of good sarcasm and snark to match Trump’s bullshit. People have expressed skepticism about his age, but I think he carries off that age well.

Bernie could win the election, but he couldn’t win the nomination. Warren could win the nomination, but I don’t think she could win the election.

Kaine and O’Malley are both far too milquetoast.

Jim Webb is not rather bland. Someone who’s rather bland doesn’t make dry quips about guys that he killed in Vietnam. Webb is very coarse and unpolished, but is a little bit stiff, kind of like Al Gore but more intimidating.

Webb would need some coaching on how to come across in a more engaging manner. But this is a guy who graduated from the Naval Academy; I’m sure he could learn. Webb would be a killer candidate on paper and I do believe he would crush Trump in the election, but he’s too conservative of a Democrat to ever get the nomination.

16

I feel like the Dems really need to go with someone who’s not a septuagenarian. It’s time to let the Baby Boomers go and look to someone too young to remember Sputnik.

And I know I’m contradicting myself in the next sentence but I would vote for Joe Biden in a hot second if Gen X doesn’t pony up a contender.

17

I could get behind Webb, myself.

18

I agree. The problem seems to be that - as evidenced by the many threads here - Democrats are stuck in the past, complaining constantly about the 2016 election and how could the sainted Hilary possibly lose to the oaf. The Democrats need to move on. Challengers should be appearing next year and I’m looking forward to learning about them.

I disagree. The Democrats need to put forward the best person, regardless of sex, race, creed, etc. The Republicans could well have a candidate like Ayotte or Haley.

19

No, not so much the Dems. The GOP and the Kremlin love to bring up Hillary again and again, knowing that the Dems will fall for it, and start squabbling.

Yes, the best person to win the election. Not win the nomination.

The GOP will have Trump again, unless he chooses not to run or the GOp decides to cut their losses.

20

Untested, but I’d suggest John R. Allen. He’s a former general and the current head of the Brookings Institute.

Not a politician (people like that)
Experience running large organizations
Experience with the government
Runs an non-partisan think tank, so he should be able to work with both parties
Liberal yet military, so he should be able to work with both parties
No criminal history (one presumes)