There are at least 23 Democratic candidates running for president, and some Democratic leaders think it’s time some of those who aren’t polling well drop out – and run for Senate.
Polls this early in the race are often called meaningless, but they do give an indication of a candidate’s chances, especially if that candidate isn’t gaining any growth or seems to be too much of a long shot.
Some are pushing for former U.S. Congressman Beto O’Rourke to drop out and run for the Senate seat currently held by Senator John Cornyn, the powerful Republican from Texas, as The Hill reports.
Other Democrats are on that same “please drop out” list, including former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.
All three are popular and could help a Democratic president greatly by turning the Senate blue. Should a Democrat win the White House but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell retain control, the gridlock and hyper-partisanship would be greatly damaging.
That’s the argument U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is bravely making in public.
“It would be a shame if we elected a new president who faced the same enmity and obstruction in the Senate that Obama had to live through, all because a lot of candidates who had no shot wouldn’t run for winnable Senate seats,” Sen. Whitehouse said.
“The clock is running out for people who have not demonstrated any ability to mount a serious presidential bid to help make a real difference in their country by helping to turn the Senate,” he added.
The possibility of Democrats turning GOP-held Senate seats blue will turn out more Democrats to vote, helping a Democratic presidential candidate win the White House – and vice versa.
In the end, as always in politics, it’s about momentum and excitement.
Image by Kelly DeLay via Flickr and a CC license