Now that the nation is looking toward the new 116th Congress, opening on Thursday, January 3, with a Democratic controlled House of Representatives and a Republican controlled Senate, attention is starting to be paid to the upcoming Presidential Election of 2020.
The season for announcing one’s candidacy is upon us, and already, it seems clear that the Democrats are going to offer the nation too many candidates.
The all time record is the Republicans in 2016 offering 17 candidates, and it forced debates to be two rounds, which was totally preposterous and confusing, and benefited Donald Trump.
We might, this round for the Democratic party, be faced with 30 or more potential nominees, but honestly, that is totally crazy.
This author believes that more than 12 candidates makes a mockery of the process, and it is urgent that potential candidates be realistic, and not shoot for the stars, so to speak.
It is counterproductive for many, who realistically have to believe their chances are limited, to crowd a field of candidates with much more funding, name recognition, staff, and journalistic attention required to sustain themselves, but not available for so many candidates.
An ideal group of 12 would include some veterans of presidential campaigning; some newcomers; some racial and ethnic representatives; some women; and some from diverse geographical sections of the nation.
Not everyone has the personality, temperament, and ability to be President, and it is essential that a tone of realism is introduced into the process.
If the Democrats become engaged in a full scale donnybrook, it will endanger the chance of the party for unity in 2020, and could lead to Republican retention of the White House.