Democratic Party failure to limit 2020 primary field reflects deep disarray in fight against Trump
by Emily Larsen
November 14, 2019 06:55 PM Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s late entry into the Democratic presidential field is only the most recent example of the Democratic National Committee struggling to winnow the historically large field of candidates and a sign of deep disarray for the party as a whole.
“The lack of a message beyond anti- or counter-Trump is still an identity crisis for Dems,†said David McCuan, professor and political science chairman at Sonoma State University. “This lack of a consistent messenger and message has left the field wide open.â€
While the DNC’s steadily increasing polling and individual donor thresholds for candidates to participate in Democratic primary debates has caused some candidates who did not make the cut to drop out, 10 candidates will appear on the November Democratic debate stage in Atlanta, Georgia, next week, down from 20 in the first June round. But others who are unlikely to make it back on the debate stage, such as Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and spiritual author Marianne Williamson, continue to stay in the race.
As some candidates drop out, others jump in. Patrick, 63, is the latest candidate to join the race, reportedly thinking that he can appeal to moderate voters while former Vice President Joe Biden falters in polls and in fundraising. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also taken steps toward launching a presidential run by filing to be on March 3 Super Tuesday Democratic primary ballots in Arkansas and Alabama.
<..snip..>
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/democratic-party-failure-to-limit-2020-primary-field-reflects-deep-disarray-in-fight-against-trump
