With close to two dozen candidates, the Democratic hopefuls are forced to switch tactics and fight to be heard.
By Michael Scherer Michael Scherer National political reporter covering campaigns, Congress and the White House Email Bio Follow May 15 at 9:52 AM So many Democrats are running for president that the chair of the National Governors Association, the mayor of America’s largest city and the senior senator from Colorado may not even qualify for the first debate — even though it allows for 20 candidates.
An historically large field was expected, given President Trump’s perceived vulnerability and the churn within the Democratic Party. But few believed it would be quite this sprawling, and the candidates are being forced to retool their strategies in response. The current candidates are experimenting with different tactics. Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke, who boasts of holding the most campaign events in the most places, is doing national television interviews after initially resisting them.
Yet the field retains a shapeless, unpredictable feel, its contours shifting and its dynamics fluid. One sought-after prize — a breakout moment, such as a poignant exchange with a voter, that can go viral and rake in donations and attention — has so far been elusive. “When you look at the polls and look at the coverage of candidates like Gillibrand and Castro, there is clear favoritism going on, because the level of coverage given to them is not indicative of their public support,” said one person working on the campaign of former Maryland congressman John Delaney, who has one of the most extensive early-state operations.
Bullock, for example, is not certain to make the debate stage despite his leadership of the National Governors Association. The same is true for de Blasio and Bennet, who temporarily left the campaign trail to recover from prostate cancer surgery, which he says was successful. Bullock said Tuesday it was worth completing the Montana legislative session before announcing his candidacy — “I signed my last bill yesterday” — even if he now has less than a month to meet the target for the first debate.
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