Doesn’t it feel like everyone and their mother is running for President in 2020? This will be the first presidential election I am eligible to vote in and I want to go into it informed. I don’t want another Trump or Trumpesque presidency. To get ahead of the debates for party nominations I decided to read up on all the presidential hopefuls who have turned heads so far.
1. Joe Biden (D)
Although he has yet to officially announce his run for the presidency, making his mission statement and focus areas unknown, many people are hoping to see Biden in the White House again. Biden represented Delaware in the Senate from 1973-2009 before becoming Vice President of the United States. In the Senate he introduced the Violence Against Women Act and played a role in Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas. Most recently Biden’s level of respect for personal space has been questioned after multiple women have come out saying their encounters with Biden have been uncomfortable.
2. Cory Booker (D)
Booker was a Rhodes Scholar, mayor of Newark, NJ and then NJ Senator since 2013. His past work focuses on fixing the criminal justice system and creating equal opportunities for all. At the moment he has proposed the Marijuana Justice Act which would decriminalize weed. Booker has also been linked to actress Rosario Dawson. Find his campaign site here.
3. Pete Buttigieg (D)
Commonly referred to as “Mayor Pete”, Buttigieg is the mayor of South Bend, ID, Rhodes Scholar and served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He is an older millennial which brings a different perspective to America’s issues and how to tackle them. A majority of the language used on his campaign site is focused on moving forward and looking into the future versus the past. If elected President, Buttigieg would be the first gay president and the youngest president. You can find his campaign site here.
4. Kamala Harris (D)
Harris has already broken one glass ceiling, as the second African American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Before becoming a California Senator, she was the state’s Attorney General. In the Senate, she is on the Senate Judiciary, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget and Intelligence committees. You can find her campaign site here.
5. Beto O’Rourke (D)
O’Rourke gained attention for his 2018 speech on the NFL protests during the National Anthem. In the first 18 days after announcing his run, he raised $9.4 million dollars. Coming from El Paso, TX the former Senator’s campaign focuses on immigration and universal, guaranteed healthcare. O’Rourke’s campaign site can be found here.
6. Bernie Sanders (D)
Sanders ran for president in 2016 and his beliefs that were called “radical” at the time are now the platforms of many other Democratic candidates. He has served in the House of Representatives and the Senate for Vermont. Sanders hopes to make public universities tuition-free, stop the “war on drugs” and pass common-sense gun legislation. His site can be found here.
7. Donald Trump (R)
Trump is running as the incumbent. His campaign is centered around what he has done as president and continuing to “Make America Great”.
8. Elizabeth Warren (D)
Warren is a Senator from Massachusetts, and you may recognize her name from the Native American ancestry debacle in 2018. Currently Warren is leading the push for Trump’s impeachment. Her focus includes ending corruption in Washington, aiding the middle class and criminal justice reform. You can find her website here.
9. William F. Weld (R)
Former governor of Massachusetts, Weld is the only Republican so far to challenge Trump. In 2016 he was the Libertarian Party’s VP pick. There is still not much about his stance on issues as of now.
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