The Sanders supporters love to point to polls showing that Bernie is the better candidate to beat Trump.
Hillary supporters insist she’s the one who will help down ballot candidates more, in part because of the bread crumbs she threw to State Democratic Parties in exchange for their participation in a scheme devised to launder larger contributions from her mega donors for her use.
What if both sides are wrong?
Isn’t the reality that they both should beat Trump, but with different paths to success? Hillary would do really well with the centrist crowd and even the country club Republicans. Bernie would get some of that support, but his strength would be his appeal to younger voters and others who often don’t vote.
How do those alternate paths compare in the quest to win down ballot races? Seems to me that those centrists and country club Republicans supporting Hillary would overwhelmingly split their tickets. But those millennials who come out to vote for Sanders? I’m guessing that getting them to vote D straight down the ballot wouldn’t be a hard sell for Bernie?
So much for conventional wisdom and campaign rhetoric.
I think this article is partially right, and partially wrong. Some centrists will split their tickets but others won’t, particularly in states that allow straight Party voting with one button. But Wouldn’t it be even better if both Hillary and Bernie were to join forces? That way we win centrists AND millenials! Win, win! Bernie has no path to win the nomination, he now needs to influence the platform and get progressives elected down ballot. He has said as much. The only way to do that is to turn out our people (yes I voted for him in the primary) in the general to vote for our Democratic candidates — ALL of them. He has to make a deal with Hillary so that his legacy continues in her administration. He can be a part of what is to come or he can be the Ralph Nader of the general election. If he joins with Hillary he will win my and many other progressives’ undying devotion for all future endeavors. If he blows up the Party in the general election and ushers in a Trump Presidency he will receive only hatred and obscurity. By the way I’m good with him continuing to campaign until the last primary vote is cast. But then it is time to cut a deal and win for us what he can and on to the General election in November.
On NBC News, Donald Trump told Lester Holt that his tax returns have been audited every year for the last 13 years. Perhaps it is time for him to hire a new tax accountant.
According to some reports, Arizona is now a possible win for Democrats in the presidential race, first time since 1996. John McCain and Martha McSally are beginning to worry.
It’s not uncommon for someone at Trump’s level to be audited regularly. There’s also nothing immoral about taking aggressive but defensive tax positions. The time for him to hire a tax accountant actually would be if he never got audited.
when convention time arises? hoping many of these superdelegates also realize they’d better be careful to rethink their stance of voting for whom they damn well please, or vote the wishes of the people they represent. especially if they’re up for re-election in 2016. they may find themselves out of a job come november.
Well… I won’t argue the “what if they’re both wrong” point. I still believe Bernie has a better chance of beating Drumpf. BUT, I do agree that in the short term, down ballot races would fare much better for the reasons you list and more.
Clinton likely doesn’t inspire a rise in voter turnout.
Bernie, OTOH, most assuredly will get young people excited much more than Obama did in 2008. For the long term prospects for the stability of our country as a constitutional republic/democracy, that’s critical.
The cure for apathy is empowerment. Clinton disempowers. Bernie makes citizen influence REAL. That’s empowering.
The rise in enthusiasm will not be limited to young people. Don’t count out seniors. Hillary might have a higher percentage of them on her side, but I have lots of friends my age who can’t stand her.