If Jason Kander had won the Missouri senate race...

[kyc0705]

Considering that people are talking about him even though he lost, I would say yes.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Big time

[Bidenworth2020]

definetly, he would win iowa

[Liberalrocks]

Yes but talk of him now as running in 2020 without a senate win seems a bit odd to me being that he doesnt have an office nor is he in a prominent position. He may run in the future but 2020 isnt his time imo.

[Mister Mets]

He would not be the frontrunner, but he would be a top-tier candidate.

He might become the frontrunner if he were to use a perch as a high-profile new Senator well enough.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Yes but talk of him now as running in 2020 without a senate win seems a bit odd to me being that he doesnt have an office nor is he in a prominent position. He may run in the future but 2020 isnt his time imo.

Trump's win changed the game when it comes to experience, imo. He still has more experience than Donald Trump, and had a pretty solid media presence.

[Mr. Morden]

With regard to "experience", I'd put the impact in three categories:

1) Voters themselves valuing experience as such.  I think this is a negligible factor, as most voters don't really care.  Many won't even know what job a politician has, or be able to remember if a politician is a governor or senator or something else.

2) "Gatekeepers" in the party elite (like big $ donors, qualified campaign staff, and members of Congress who might endorse you) valuing experience.  This is a somewhat bigger issue, but perhaps less important now than it used to be.  Some of the impact here is probably more from the fact that someone who hasn't reached high office will have fewer connections.

3) Experience in politics at a high level making you a better politician.  In many cases, this is probably actually the biggest problem with being inexperienced.  The candidate himself/herself isn't used to playing politics at a high level, and so is liable to make stumbles.  Though it's certainly possible for someone with a high level of talent to just be a natural, and overcome this.

[MAINEiac4434]

Yes but talk of him now as running in 2020 without a senate win seems a bit odd to me being that he doesnt have an office nor is he in a prominent position. He may run in the future but 2020 isnt his time imo.

All of this. Seeing Kander win polls on this site in landslides is hilarious. If he runs he won't be taken seriously.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Yes but talk of him now as running in 2020 without a senate win seems a bit odd to me being that he doesnt have an office nor is he in a prominent position. He may run in the future but 2020 isnt his time imo.

All of this. Seeing Kander win polls on this site in landslides is hilarious. If he runs he won't be taken seriously.

[Pericles]

He wouldn't have been the frontrunner but he would end up as a strong contender. Like how Obama was not the frontrunner in 2005 but still won.

[Cynthia]

He would be in a strong position.

[Del Tachi]

He'd certainly be more in the mix than he is now and would even be on the same level of Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, but I don't he'd be the prohibitive "frontrunner" at this point.

[bagelman]

He would be a step ahead of names like Booker, but not the leading frontrunner.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

In reality, no. In the average Atlas user's mind, yes. I honestly don't understand the obsession with Jason Kander on this site. If he did win his race he probably would've likely run in 2020 but with a ceiling of only 5% in the polls. He's no Obama and again I do not at all understand the unhealthy obsession with this one-hit-wonder on Atlas.

[mvd10]

He wouldn't be the instant frontrunner because of name recognition but he'd surely run and I think he would have won in the end.

[jamestroll]

YOU PEOPLE HERE ARE TOO OBSESSED WITH JASON KANDER.

He did well in disqualifying Roy Blunt but not so well in showing why he was the solution to replace him. Plus he was brought down by the rest of the pathetic Democratic ticket.

Just stop please. You guys have an unhealthy obsession with Kander. He could have a good future. but 2020 is not his time.

[heatcharger]

People hating on Kander's chances should realize that if Biden and Sanders decide not to run, Warren might be the only candidate with >50% name recognition, which could allow a relative unknown to rise to the surface. I'm not saying his chances are amazing, but I could envision it happening.