Dark horse Democrats for 2020?

[Vega]

Steve Bullock is a great example as a Dark Horse. Kind of what Howard Dean was in 04'.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Al Franken.

He's a progressive. He can win back the Midwest. He's uniquely fit to take on Trump in that he's a former entertainer and he doesn't always talk like a typical politican.

I see Amy Klobuchar as a better pick.

[Young Conservative]

Here comes Kamala !

[Lief 🗽]

Stephen Colbert.

[Green Line]

Wow.  The state of the Democratic party really is SAD!  I hope Hillary runs again, there's no one else.

[Dr. Arch]

Wow.  The state of the Democratic party really is SAD!  I hope Hillary runs again, there's no one else.

Nobody would've thought of Obama in 2004. We're an era away politically. Let's see what happens.

[Blair]

Tom Steyer

[Gary J]

There does not seem to be an obvious Democratic candidate for 2020. I suspect that the nominee will be a current or recent Senator or Governor. I doubt that the sort of celebrity and non elected office holding candidates, mentioned in this thread, would be viable.

There may be room for one comparatively conservative Democratic governor to run, someone like Governor Cuomo, but probably not to be the nominee.

I suspect that Senator Kaine would be a credible candidate, but the party electorate may want a younger, more charismatic candidate. I am not sure who that dark horse candidate is as I am not sufficiently familiar with the younger Senators and Governors. It is probably someone not currently being talked about as a Presidential candidate.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Harris or Baldwin.

[Sumner 1868]

If you see it coming it's not a dark horse.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Shesh, talking about the 2020 bench at this point is stupid.

Back in 2004 Obama was already considered a rising star, but very few expected he'd run as soon as 2008. Well, he ended up President.

Back in 2015 Republicans appeared to have a strong bench on the paper with Trump being just a flavor of the month, who will soon "pass his peak". He's President-elect now.

[Mr. Morden]

Shesh, talking about the 2020 bench at this point is stupid.

Back in 2004 Obama was already considered a rising star, but very few expected he'd run as soon as 2008. Well, he ended up President.

Back in 2015 Republicans appeared to have a strong bench on the paper with Trump being just a flavor of the month, who will soon "pass his peak". He's President-elect now.

Talking about whether the bench is "strong" or "weak" is stupid.  But taking potential candidates' early hints about whether they're interested in running or not isn't stupid, IMHO.  The people who are already dropping hints about wanting to run for president 3-4 years in advance do tend to run more often than those who don't.  E.g., Christie, Rubio, Pawlenty, Romney, McCain, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, etc. (I could make a much longer list if I wanted to) were all dropping hints of future presidential ambitions like crazy at least 4 years before their respective campaigns took place.

Sure, there are also other candidates who don't give very much notice of their intentions.  But it's not too early to start piecing together who some of the likely players might be.  The stealth campaign has been underway at least since the conventions, when several potential candidates (e.g., on the Dem. side, Booker, Klobuchar, O'Malley, the Castros) met with the early primary state delegations.

[Crumpets]

Howard Dean seems like a good choice. Maybe Kate Brown, although I don't know how much of a dark horse she'd be.

[Del Tachi]

John Bel Edwards

[Dr. Arch]

John Bel Edwards

He might even be able to put the south back in play.

[Santander]

John Bel Edwards

He might even be able to put the south back in play.

Yeah, the same way Hillary put GA into play.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

John Bel Edwards

He might even be able to put the south back in play.

Yeah, the same way Hillary put GA into play.

So in other words, quite significantly, assuming her team had actually devoted resources there rather than gone all in on North Carolina?

[libertpaulian]

John Bel Edwards

He might even be able to put the south back in play.

Yeah, the same way Hillary put GA into play.

Hillary isn't a daughter of the South.

[PresidentTRUMP]

Castro isn't even a Senator or in the House. If he defeats Cruz for the senate seat in 2018 than he becomes the leading Dem candidate for 2024 IF Trump wins a 2nd term. Right now he doesn't even have CLOSE to the experience needed to run in 2020.

Right now hes serving as Secretary of Housing or something.

[The_Doctor]

O'Malley or Sherrod Brown.

[Devout Centrist]

Al Franken!

[Progressive]

I think Sherrod Brown takes the cake in this category

[Horsemask]

John Bel Edwards

My guess as well.

[Baki]

Michele Obama.

[Sir Mohamed]

Xavier Berreca, Gavin Newsom, George Clooney, Kate Brown, Charlie Crist, Bill de Blasio