The 2020 U.S. Presidential Race: A Cheat Sheet

Back in March, when he entered the presidential race, erstwhile poet Robert Francis O’Rourke told Vanity Fair, “Man, I’m just born to be in it.” As another, more famous poet wrote, “All things were born. Ye will come never more, for all things must die.” And on Friday, Beto O’Rourke’s campaign for president expired.

Even without that perhaps ill-advised glossy-magazine spread, the O’Rourke run was always an audacious endeavor. Beto came to the campaign fresh off an unexpectedly close but still unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate against Ted Cruz in Texas. Before that, he’d served three terms in the U.S. House. It was a fairly skimpy resume for a presidential contender, but O’Rourke inspired an energy that gave some veterans of Barack Obama’s campaign a sense of deja vu.

Almost immediately, O’Rourke stood astride the Democratic field (as well as some of Iowa’s choicest countertops). He surged in the polls, trailing only Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. As it turned out, his launch was the high point for the campaign. It quickly became clear that O’Rourke didn’t have much of an articulated reason for running, and he faltered. As it turned out, not every young, charismatic pol is Barack Obama.

O’Rourke found new purpose for his campaign after a mass shooting in El Paso, his hometown, in August where Latinos were targeted. For the first time in a while, O’Rourke seemed genuinely passionate. The following day he was asked whether Trump could help. “What do you think? You know the shit he’s been saying,” O’Rourke said. “He’s been calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals. I don’t know, like, members of the press, what the fuck?” It was profane, but the moment was profane, and he had a point.

O’Rourke pivoted his campaign to gun control, promising to confiscate assault weapons if elected. The vow made some Democratic strategists (and rivals) nervous, but in any case, it was too late to make a difference to his electoral chances. His voters had mostly tuned out and drifted away. He wasn’t much of a factor in the primary debates, either.

Many Democrats had pleaded with O’Rourke to drop out of the race and run against Senator John Cornyn instead. The Republican edge in Texas seems to be eroding, and Democrats thought he could knock Cornyn out, as he nearly toppled Cruz. But O’Rourke has insisted he will not run for the Senate seat, and at the time of his announcement, there was no sign he’d changed his mind.

Assuming O’Rourke does take some time off, it will close a strange chapter in American politics. Whatever his failures to articulate a reason for running for president, O’Rourke has serious raw political talent and showed his ability to capture attention and affection in 2018. He’s also only 47. Maybe he was born to be in it yet—just not this time around.

As the primaries progress, this cheat sheet will be updated regularly.

* * *

The Democrats

TOM STEYER

Who is he?

A retired California hedge-funder, Steyer has poured his fortune into political advocacy on climate change and flirted with running for office.

Is he running?
No. He announced on January 9 that he would sit the race out. Lol jk! Steyer is now telling friends and allies he’s going to get into the race, my colleague Edward-Isaac Dovere reports.

Why does he want to run?
Impeachment, baby.

Who wants him to run?

There must be some #Resistance faction out there that does.

Can he win the nomination?

Nope.

JOE SESTAK

Who is he?

A former vice admiral and two-term member of Congress from Pennsylvania, he twice ran for U.S. Senate.

Is he running?

Yes. He announced on June 23.

Why does he want to run?

Sestak’s announcement focuses on his long career in the military and the importance of American foreign policy. It’s a little evocative of retired General Wesley Clark’s 2004 campaign.

Who wants him to run?

It’s a mystery. Sestak says he delayed a campaign launch while his daughter was treated for cancer, which is praiseworthy, but there wasn’t even a murmur about him running before his announcement. Sestak is best known these days for losing Senate races in 2010 (in the general election) and 2016 (in the Democratic primary).

Can he win the nomination?

No.

What else do we know?
This logo, boy, I dunno.

STEVE BULLOCK

Who is he?

Bullock is the governor of Montana, where he won reelection in 2016 even as Donald Trump won the state.

Is he running?

Yes. Bullock launched his campaign on May 14.

Why does he want to run?

Bullock portrays himself as a candidate who can win in Trump country and get things done across the aisle. He’s also been an outspoken advocate of campaign-finance reform.

Who wants him to run?

Unclear. The Great Plains and Mountain West aren’t traditional bases for national Democrats.

Can he win the nomination?

Probably not.

MICHAEL BENNET

Who is he?

The Coloradan was appointed to the Senate in 2009 and has since won reelection twice.

Is he running?

Yes. Bennet announced his campaign on May 2.

Why does he want to run?

Like his fellow Rocky Mountain State Democrat John Hickenlooper, Bennet presents himself as someone with experience in business and management who knows how to work with Republicans.

Who wants him to run?

Probably some of the same people who wanted Hickenlooper to run. Bennet gained new fans with a viral video of his impassioned rant about Ted Cruz during the January government shutdown.

Can he win?

No.