Thursday debate brings together the big candidates
Michael McShane
Staff Writer
What America has long been waiting for will finally happen at 7 p.m. CDT, Thursday when all the top contenders for the 2020 Democratic nomination get the chance to debate each other.
Democratic candidates such as former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren will be right next to each other in the middle of what is still a crowded debate stage.
Warren has been waiting for her chance to finally debate Biden who has been the front runner of the primaries since he announced his candidacy. While her polling has been rising and her crowd size big enough to make President Donald Trump tweet about it, the biggest hill Warren still must climb is the belief Biden is more electable than her in the general election.
Democrats and primary insiders have discussed the big question in the room on what is more important to focus on – a nominee with set plans and goals or someone who has a better chance on beating President Trump in November of next year.
This issue will undoubtedly be addressed during the debate and this Thursday gives Warren a chance to put the electability issue to bed.
Bernie Sanders, the oldest candidate in the race, is facing electability issues as much as Warren. He, much like Warren, has been the most attacked from Democratic rivals as being too far left for the party and would lose to Trump in 2020. Sanders will have to continue to push back on that dilemma Thursday as he goes into the debate with a target on his back.
Former Vice President Biden will have his chance to rebound after a serious of mistakes he has made in the recent months, most recently telling a war story that was revealed to have many false statements. The candidate still considered the one who has the best chance to defeat Trump, Biden is on the defensive against candidates rising in the polls.
For candidates low in the polls who will be on stage such as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, this might be their last chance to give voters another candidate to think about besides the trio of front runners.
The Democratic Primary for the 2020 election has been a fight for the future of the Democratic Party on whether it stays closer to the center or goes more leftward. While there are still many debates in the coming months and into 2020, we are now officially getting into the end game of the primary.
This is the debate where a single candidate can stand out and take the voters still uncommitted to a candidate. Each new debate draws the Democratic Primary closer to the Iowa Caucus and the candidates on top will have to keep their title as front runner from slipping out of their grasp.
Header photo: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a rally at a campaign stop Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)