Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumAll 50 States. Go Until June. Let Every Vote Count.
I don't know why people want Bernie to drop out. In my opinion, if he has the money, he should stay in.
A presidential primary helps the other races. Helps get out the vote. Helps get people thinking about Senator Races, Congressional Races, Mayoral races, Governor races.
Everyone remembers 2016. I remember 2008 and the 50 state strategy. Every state should have a chance to weigh in on who should be our nominee. And every down-race candidate should have a decent amount of voters making decisions about their viability.
In a state that Bernie might win or might show well in, other progressive candidates may also be voted for. Affects the entire state, affects, Congress, the Senate.
NO!!!!! Bernie should not drop out. Let him continue to pull some states to the left. Let him continue to empower progressive down-race candidates.
People are not looking at the big picture.
If Bernie does the right thing at the Convention, and campaigns actively for Biden in the Fall, then having him in the race until June is a very, very good thing.
PS. My state doesn't vote until April.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TwilightZone
(28,833 posts)Simple, because the race is over. It's not any more complicated than that. Staying in the race is a waste of resources and a waste of time for everyone. The resources would be better used toward getting Democrats elected at other levels of government, and the time would be better spent getting people registered, getting out the party's message, working on get-out-the-vote efforts, and preparing for November.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Response to TwilightZone (Reply #1)
HarlanPepper This message was self-deleted by its author.
TwilightZone
(28,833 posts)Some are still under the misguided notion that Sanders staying in the race helps, well, anything. It doesn't.
It doesn't help down-ticket races because he only picks and chooses a few people to support and essentially ignores that rest.
It doesn't help "prepare" Biden for anything. Biden is clearly ready to be president at this exact moment, as clearly evidenced by his response on COVID-19.
It doesn't help other races because it takes attention and money away from them.
It's not going to "pull states to the left" because most of them have already indicated that they don't *want* to go to the left. Plus, if we take a big shift to the left, we lose in November.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(71,023 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Dennis Donovan
(25,711 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
HarlanPepper
(2,042 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
RandySF
(70,648 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(71,023 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(71,023 posts)don't matter once a nominee has been chosen...Sanders lost. He needs to concede today or at the latest after Florida...if we go until June we are going to lose the general.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Turin_C3PO
(15,922 posts)My primary is June and Id love to vote for Biden. But stretching out the primaries that long increases the chance of a Trump victory. He needs to concede next Wednesday to facilitate party unity.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)The Democratic party will be his main target. It's the high-level staff members who attack Biden with RW talking points and other smears that originate in Russia to the likes of Cenk Uygur, Michael Moore, Cornell West, David Sirota, Brianna Gray, Nina Turner, Matt Orfalea, Phillip Agnew... and then act all "shocked" that they're "going rogue" without his approval.
As Biden and his campaign and all other stalwart Democrats strive to show how the Democrats are BETTER than the GOP... Bernie is busy telling everyone that there's "no difference between Democrats and the GOP" and "both parties are the same". And that the Democrats "are the party of the one-percent" and that we're "corrupt".
Joe/Kamala or Biden/Harris 2020!!
Jump on the Biden Bandwagon & abandon the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
showblue22
(1,026 posts)will only cause more hurt for those folks. It's irresponsible and dishonest.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)In the GE you use it for President and Senate. The money spent pays off if you win because you get all electoral votes or the one Senate seat. Primaries split delegates between candidates and it's not worth the investment sometimes to go to a state you're fucked in.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)It's Biden.
Bernie needs to get busy with the business of consoling his "fans" and demonstrating any leadership skills he has by motivating them to put their hurt feelings and disappointment aside... and instead using that energy on getting rid of Donald Trump.
There's a very brief WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY that Bernie has in which to accomplish this. If he waits too long, or if he does nothing for weeks and weeks while "writing a book" or something, then his disappointed fans will curdle on their own and turn their feelings into rage and anger against Joe Biden and the Democratic party.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)And the anger is growing. I had someone comment to me elsewhere that the 20's will be a happy time because the boomers will start dying off in large numbers. LOL I reminded them the boom went to '63 so fuck off we're going to be around for awhile.
I don't feel good about recent turns of events. Bernie is a....has no...and will fuck it all up again I fear.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
beastie boy
(11,148 posts)it is Bernie's decision whether he is doing himself any favors by running. He might want to do it at his own detriment and for the sake of his downballot supporters. This is probably the last campaign of his lifetime, and for this reason alone I would indulge him. He no longer represents danger to the Democratic Party. Let him go out fighting.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(34,664 posts)The voters are speaking loud and clear and it isnt for sanders
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
relayerbob
(7,020 posts)Almost everyone else is on board, and whoever is left would join at that point. If he wants to help heal the country and get us on the right track, he can start working with the team now to secure the win in November. Do so in exchange for specific items in the platform, if he needs to.
Or, second choice, get his ass handed to him again, week after week. Do more and more damage to the whole party, himself included.
The first choice is better for all concerned.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)People like Biden's policy positions, that's why he's winning so many states overwhelmingly.
Biden has gotten an average of 38% of the vote in all the states, Sanders only 30%.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Thekaspervote
(34,664 posts)He wont behave at the convention anymore than he did in 16. Why should he even be there?
Hes harming his position and leaving people even more sour on him and his positions.
Amy, Pete, Beto, Bloomberg, yang, Kamala, and the others all dropped out when it was obvious there was no path. He needs to do the same
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TwilightZone
(28,833 posts)It doesn't help down-ticket races because he only picks and chooses a few people to support and essentially ignores that rest.
It doesn't help "prepare" Biden for anything. Biden is clearly ready to be president at this exact moment, as clearly evidenced by his response on COVID-19.
It doesn't help other races because it takes attention and money away from them.
It's not going to "pull states to the left" because most of them have already indicated that they don't *want* to go to the left. Plus, if we take a big shift to the left, we lose in November.
"People are not looking at the big picture."
Well, some aren't.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
thucythucy
(8,742 posts)So do I.
The 50 state strategy involved putting moderates on the ballot as Democrats to compete in races a pure left/democratic socialist could never hope to win.
Candidates that Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore and yes, Senator Sanders would never in a million years choose to support.
In other words, it meant compromising pure ideology in the name of political realism (and working for the long term to swing our country in a progressive direction).
In other words, not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.
It meant doing the best we could factoring in local circumstances and local political sensibilities, looking at "the big picture" trying to get control of the Senate, the House, local state chambers, local courts.
Which seems to me about the opposite of a continuing campaign by Senator Sanders would encourage.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)In the GE you use it for President and Senate. The money spent pays off if you win because you get all electoral votes or the one Senate seat. Primaries split delegates between candidates and it's not worth the investment sometimes to go to a state you're fucked in.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden