In 2016, Bernie Sanders’ run for president was a phenomenon. His rise to prominence on a platform of democratic socialism was a shock to the centrist establishment of the Democratic party.
It isn’t 2016 anymore, and Sanders’ ideas of medicare for all and free college are hardly as radical as they used to be. In fact, many of the Democratic candidates running are endorsing a similar strong left-wing ideology: Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, to name a few.
So the question remains: can Bernie win this time around? As opposed to the 2016 campaign, 2020 Bernie is running a campaign based much more firmly in electability. He’s touted polls that show him with a two-point lead against Trump and brought up his dedication to the platform.
The field is crowded with Democratic candidates, and Sanders’ name recognition certainly gives him an advantage above his lesser-known opponents. People know who Bernie is and what he stands for.
However, some consider his ‘outsider’s edge’ the catalyst for his political clout. Now that he’s established his platform as a part of a new democratic establishment, it’s a definite possibility that his infamous Bern will simmer down as fresh faces challenge him.
As Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons puts it, Bernie is “the MySpace or the Friendster of the Democratic left.” In short, Bernie has the right idea, but he might not be the one to implement it.
There’s also the matter of his age. The 2018 Congressional election showed the democratic party pointing towards a new wave of younger, more diverse candidates. And while Bernie might support the idea, he certainly doesn’t fit the profile.
Bernie Sanders is currently 77, and if elected, would be the oldest president in history. He’s also white and male: a makeup that doesn’t exactly match up with party cries for diversity and women in government.
There’s no doubt that the 2020 election will be polarizing. Should Bernie win the primary, he’ll go face to face with -most likely- sitting president Donald Trump. Supporters whose rallying cry of “Bernie woulda won” in response to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 defeat could be put to the test.
Could Bernie have won? We’ll never know. Will Bernie win? We’re about to find out.