Taking on Trump: The 2020 democratic candidates

Gone are the days in American presidential races when a candidate would rise or fall on policy differences. Today, Democrats choosing their candidate for the 2020 race are asking just one question — does the person have what it takes to stay the course and defeat Republican Donald Trump?

First, the candidates will have to fight it out among themselves in debates this year, and in party primary voting contests next year, during which they could inflict serious damage on each other and dangerously weaken their candidacy in the general election. So far, 13 have formally declared their candidacy, and at least seven others are also likely to decide to run. Here is a profile of the announced candidates and what their chances of success look like at this stage of the battle.

Robert Francis O’Rourke — Beto is a common Spanish nickname for Robert — is the son of Melissa Martha Williams and Judge Pat Francis O’Rourke, whose forebears emigrated to Texas from Ireland in the 19th century to help build a railroad in the state.

The former three-term congressman actively engages on Irish issues such as protecting the Good Friday Agreement and promoting trade between Ireland and the US. His platform tends to focus on the big picture, with sweeping calls for unity, reducing inequality, and healing racial divisions — but so far is short on specifics.

That flexibility, especially on universal healthcare, may not overly endear him to progressives but it could draw support from independents and even some moderate Republicans and dent Trump’s strategy of painting Democratic contenders as “crazy Socialists”.

CHANCES: If O’Rourke were to become the Democratic contender, he could win his native Texas in a battle against Trump, giving the party a huge advantage. Young, energetic, with little baggage, he can appeal to the Democratic party’s middle ground and progressives alike. His political prowess is matched only by his fundraising skills, without which a successful bid is almost impossible. He raised $6.1m (€5.4m) in the first 24 hours after launching his presidential campaign on March 14, crushing the first-day hauls of many of his Democratic competitors. He could be the party’s strongest candidate, and is said to be the candidate Trump most fears.

"If O’Rourke were to become the Democratic contender, he could win his native Texas in a battle against Trump..."

And I could win the Powerball Lottery. That's highly unlikely, and so is the remote chance of ORourke beating Trump in Texas.

"Young, energetic, with little baggage, he can appeal to the Democratic party’s middle ground and progressives alike. His political prowess is matched only by his fundraising skills"

That one sentence is the biggest load of leftist propaganda I've run across in quite some time.

The boy has NO political accomplishments to speak of,
has tons of baggage from his youth,
has NO statesmanlike qualities,
exhibits NO signs of above average intelligence,
has personally done nothing to raise the millions of dollars that have been donated to his campaigns,
has NO firm policy positions of any kind,
is NOT poised and mature in his public demeanor,
seems uncomfortable in his own skin,
does NOT demonstrate a real command and understanding of the most momentous issues of the day,
appears to have NO lifelong, bedrock beliefs of any kind,
is NOT Hispanic, despite his cultually appropriated nickname,
does NOT speak like an adult male from Texas,
and DOES NOT represent average Americans in any way that I can see.

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