[ad_1]
Senator Amy Klobuchar highlighted her work aimed at narrowing the political divide as she embarks on a presidential campaign in 2020 – not treating her as "moderate."
The day after the Minnesota Democrat's nomination, she repressed the label by saying to Rachel Maddow, "I think [voters] should see me as progressive because I believe in progress and have worked hard all my life. "
KLOBUCHAR REJECTS LIBERAL LABEL
The senator then extolled a litany of "progressive" achievements during her years in Washington and at the state level.
The answer highlighted the fact that even the candidates considered in the center-left of the party are reluctant to be perceived as ignorant in some way the wishes of the base – vocal and influential – liberal. The "moderate" label is despised, avoided as a potentially fatal term in a primary campaign stacked with left heavyweights like Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, who speak highly of government policies like the Green New Deal. More recently, populist Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Tuesday launched his second consecutive candidacy for the Democratic nomination. And the progressive champions Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jeff Merkley of Oregon could soon join the fray of 2020.
Self-proclaimed centrists are rare. What emerges is an area where candidates who might otherwise present themselves as moderates are pushing a message of unity while emphasizing their "progressive" good faith – or, in the case of moderate-minded personalities like Beto O & # Rourke or Sen Kirsten Gillibrand, aligning himself openly with the left flank of the party.
Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, a possible candidate for 2020, has rebuffed the "moderate" etiquette during a visit to New Hampshire last week. "In many ways, I am more progressive than many others. We really succeeded, "he said.
Last week, former Texas representative O'Rourke, who appears to be leaning toward a presidential bid, called for the destruction of the existing wall along the US-Mexico border in his hometown of El Paso. His action may have been an attempt to put forward his progressive credentials, following coverage of his congressional vote record, which was more conservative than that of the average Democrat.
Asked about O'Rourke's comments, Gillibrand indicated his willingness to consider the idea. A few years ago, the New York senator was known for his favorable views of the Second Amendment and his strong opposition to illegal immigration. Since then, she has supported calls to eliminate immigration and customs control procedures, claiming that she was "ashamed" of "60 Minutes" last year.
"It's clear at this early stage that progressive candidates are the ones with the most energy," said Wayne Lesperance, vice president of academic affairs at New England College and professor of political science.
DEM HOPEFULS SHIFT LEFT
Lespérance has seen many candidates in action, while they have succeeded in recent weeks in New Hampshire, the first state of the country. He said that "Self-proclaimed moderates have a harder path to go. And those who have already had moderate positions in the past find themselves in the obligation to explain them – this is never a good place to run. "
Defending such achievements that may not fit with the increasingly liberal progressive base could be a problem for former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seriously considering a race at the White House. Although he is credited with pushing progressive politics during his years as vice-president, his more conservative record in the Senate may not play well in the 2020 election campaign.
The percentage of Democrats identifying as Liberals averaged 51% in 2018, according to Gallup polls. This is up from 50% in 2017, which is the first time that a majority of Democrats have embraced this term, after gradual increases since the 1990s.
But there may still be an opening for a moderate. The Gallup survey found that 47% of Democrats still say they are moderate or conservative. And the survey revealed that a majority of Democrats and independents who turn to the party would like him to move more toward the center.
The former mayor of New York City, Mike Bloomberg, does not seem to have any problem being described as moderate or centrist. The billionaire media mogul who has provided millions of dollars for gun safety and the fight against climate change has recently turned to the Green New Deal, the "Medicare-for-all" and the 39 other progressive proposals at a recent stopover in New Hampshire as he embarks on a campaign.
The democrat-turned Republican-turned-independent, who returned to the Democratic Party last year, called for "realistic" proposals that could win the support of Democrats and Republicans.
DELANEY END WITH GREEN NEW DEAL
Count former three-term representative John Delaney of Maryland at this camp.
With many of his rivals for the nomination running to the left, Delaney points out how he traced a more moderate path. And he is interested in both the Green New Deal and the "Medicare-for-all".
During a speech last week at "Politics and Eggs", a must-stop for White House hopefuls campaigning in New Hampshire, Delaney called for "a common sense of purpose and purpose." 39 "unity" and is described as a centrist "is a dirty word."
Delaney asked Fox News if many other hopes of the Democratic White House were too far left, and said, "I think I'm the only one who can solve the problems. And I think there are two ways to search for the presidency. You can try to divide and create unrealistic goals. I think that's wrong … or you can really try to unify the country. "
But Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson has objected to whether candidates are progressive or moderate.
Ferguson, who was a senior spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, told Fox News that "voters are much more concerned about who you are going to defend and why you are going to do it only by a label. " They want to get in touch with a candidate, believe what they say and see them as Trump's antidote. "
"Voters do not care about the labels that are pushed on candidates because these labels no longer reflect the ideologies at stake," he said.
[ad_2]
Source link