According to senior Cayde Newton, former president of the Roosevelt Institute and current assistant to Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Frank Scott Jr., the 2020 election cycle “is one of the most critical election cycles ever.” The high stakes beg voters to pay attention to what is going on in the early debates. However, even constituents, who typically follow the race closely, appear to be out of touch with what is going on in the election scene this early, and it seems the historically high number of Democratic candidates are likely to blame.
Newton clarified that the Democratic candidates are generally all running to “strengthen international relations and promote progressive policy.”
Overall, the candidates desire a better society and are working to accomplish that through progressive ideas.
“The Democratic Party has had a healthy shift to become young and progressive, which traditionally characterized a more revolutionary wing of the party, and has become the status quo for the Democratic base,” Newton explained.
According to Newton, Fox News and CNN, making sure Trump does not get reelected unites all the Democratic candidates. However, health care is the most widespread focus of the candidates. Nearly two weeks ago, Zachary Wolf of CNN reported, “A lack of agreement and a crush of urgency make health care coverage the most important issue in the Democratic primary.”
Wolf found the candidates split between generally two ideas — starting over with Medicare for all or making positive adjustments to the Affordable Care Act. The Democratic candidates will be forced to develop concrete answers to gain votes from the nearly 90% of their party who say health care is most important to them, according to a CNN poll.
Most of the country appears to be awaiting the Iowa Caucus before expressing any sort of opinion other than issues they think most severe. Fox News interviewed former U.S. representative John
Delaney to find out his take on the 2020 election, and he confessed “significant weakness” among 2020 Democratic front-runners as it pertains to a general election. “Our three front-runners … most Democrats know, are inherently vulnerable,” Delaney said.
Delaney believes that the American people are looking for a moderate voice, and his fellow candidates are portraying the opposite. However, Newton urges voters to really listen and see where the candidates are coming from — especially Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden.
Democratic candidates are collectively focused on making society better, according to Newton. However, society’s disinterest in the elections may hinder it from becoming better. In June, at the Aspen Ideas Festival (the nation’s annual interdisciplinary public gathering place to discuss ideas “that both shape our lives and challenge our times”), Lauren Leader of All In Together (a nonpartisan women’s political education organization) said, “70% of Americans cannot name a single person who represents them in elected office.”
The 2020 election presents another opportunity for Americans to form knowledgeable opinions about the candidates and not allow a candidate to enter into office because of an absent or misinformed vote.
