The 2020 presidential race began with a record number of Democratic entrants. However, as election day nears us, more and more Democratic candidates are dropping out. Whether due to a lack of campaign funding or insufficient polling numbers, the Democratic field has been consistently narrowing, with three candidates exiting in the first three days of December.
Former Pennsylvania Representative Joe Sestak was the first to exit the competition. In addition to not qualifying for any of the Democratic debates, he consistently polled less than 1% nationally, and his campaign donations paled in comparison to his opponents, barely reaching half a million dollars. As a result of these shortcomings, he received little to no media coverage, acknowledging in his statement that, “Without the privilege of national press, it is unfair to ask others to husband their resolve and to sacrifice resources any longer.”
The second candidate to leave the presidential race was two-term Montana Governor Steve Bullock. He entered the race in early May and was able to participate in the second round of Democratic debates; however, he was unable to gain significant popularity, polling at around 1% nationally and failing to qualify for future debates. “While there were many obstacles we could not have anticipated when entering this race, it has become clear that in this moment, I won’t be able to break through to the top tier of this still-crowded field of candidates,” he wrote in his statement.
The final competitor to exit in these first few days was the formerly formidable Senator Kamala Harris, stating that “[Her] campaign for president simply doesn’t have the financial resources [they] need to continue.” In addition to deficient campaign fundraising, Senator Harris’ once-promising popularity began to plummet following the second Democratic debate, when she was frequently criticized for her struggle to clearly articulate her stances on issues such as healthcare. She wrote in her statement that, despite her campaign suspension, “[She] will do everything in [her] power to defeat Donald Trump and fight for the future of our country and the best of who we are.”
These three Candidates follow many others who have already bowed out, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke. The election has also seen several new candidates enter the race, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and philanthropist and activist Tom Steyer. Now, less than a year from the 2020 presidential election, we will continue to see the overall candidate pool dwindle as those with inadequate financing and less resonant messages exit the competition.
0
0
Average Rating