Pardon Our Dust
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In a May 22 Newsweek opinion piece, McGuireWoods Consulting senior advisor, Frank Donatelli, details four reasons why former vice president Joe Biden has held a commanding lead in the Democratic presidential nomination field since his announcement.
Despite seeming “too white, too male and too old to appeal to the Democratic party circa 2020,” in surveys he holds 40 percent support against the other 20 plus candidates, Donatelli commented.
First, current polls show Biden running the strongest of anyone against President Trump.
“Early indications are that he does well in all demographic categories, including women and minorities,” Donatelli said. “Democratic primary voters say their number one goal is to defeat the president, and Biden is doing that.”
Second, Biden appeals to moderates.
“It is true that a majority of Democrats consider themselves liberal/progressive, but a sizable minority call themselves moderates and right now Biden has them to himself,” Donatelli noted.
Other major candidates have labeled themselves as progressives, dividing votes between the party’s dominant wing.
Third, Joe Biden is the only Democratic presidential candidate with a close working relationship with former President Obama.
“Biden doesn’t need (or apparently want) Obama’s endorsement now, but he can associate himself with many things during the Obama years that validate progressive Democrats’ view of recent history—Obamacare, recovery from the ‘08 economic meltdown, climate change initiatives, and gay rights,” Donatelli said.
Finally, Biden represents normalcy. The voting public can actually see him as president.
“He is certainly not the newest or shiniest political object, but he is serious, dependable and fully capable of serving as chief executive,” Donatelli noted. “For those voters looking for a return to normalcy, less drama and fewer food fights, right now Biden is the preferred candidate.”