Women in 2020

The 2020 Presidential race has only just begun and a crowded field of 23 candidates are attempting to differentiate themselves from the rest to make history as the Democratic candidate who took down Trump. While we will have to wait another year to find out who that will be, another historical first has occurred. Six women have stepped forward and are running for president.It’s not yet clear if Americans are quite ready for their first female President; this historic race will no doubt continue to inspire young women to step up and run.

Kamala Harris

Senator from California, 54

As a freshman senator and the second black woman ever elected to the US senate, Kamala Harris has made a name for herself through her tough stance on Trump’s administration policies and her questioning of cabinet members and Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh. Harris embodies the modern post-Obama Democratic party appealing to both party loyalist factions as well as new millennial voters. Differentiating herself from the vast Democratic field, Harris’s signature issue is not a single policy idea but rather a campaign about the people.

While some have argued not having a single policy issue for voters to connect to will hurt her campaign, Harris’s campaign is instead focusing on building her brand to be the perfect candidate who can take on Trump. Her goal is to connect with the people through her integrity and past professional experiences as district attorney and in the Senate.

Harris is a strong candidate but often places between 3rd and 5th in most national polls. Unlike the other women running for president, Harris has a second path to the White House emerging as a Vice President option to Biden. While there is still over a year to go until the Democratic nominee is chosen, Harris’s popularity is growing. Only time will tell if America is ready for mixed race woman to win the Presidency.

Elizabeth Warren

Senator from Massachusetts, 69

Former law professor Elizabeth Warren started off her 2020 campaign strong as a front runner among Democratic candidates. Announcing the creation of an exploratory committee on New Year’s day, Warren was arguably the most prepared to launch a presidential campaign. Her first major scandal came swiftly after when her ancestry claims were questioned by President Trump and she released DNA tests showing her Native American ancestry with an apology for previously identifying as Native American. Since the scandal and the emergence of strong candidates in Harris and Biden, Warren’s popularity has wavered.

Since then Warren has tried to rebuild and has fired back at the current White House administration by making the case for impeachment against President Trump more forcefully than any of her 2020 rivals. Commonly making note of having read the entirety of Special Counsel Mueller’s investigative report, Warren has argued that impeachment is the only responsible path forward. While most Democratic candidates are reluctant to stand by her, Warren’s forceful approach is helping differentiate her in such a crowded field.

Warren’s signature issues include rebuilding the middle class and ending Washington corruption. Her campaign is calling for a new era of strong antitrust enforcement, so the giant corporations can no longer stifle any competition. Warren has a plan and wants to make America work again.

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator from New York, 52

After replacing Hillary Clinton’s senate seat in 2009 Kirsten Gillibrand has transformed her brand changing her politics in tandem with the ever-liberalising democratic base. Her shift from a conservative democrat to a progressive champion has opened her campaign to staunch criticism that such a move is opportunistic.

Gillibrand’s signature issue is to restore the government to the hands of the people, by fighting for America’s values and embracing her slogan Brave Wins. In such a crowded field her messaging has yet to stand her apart from similar campaigns, still Gillibrand is slowly breaking out of the crowded field and remaining a contender due to her reputation for being a tireless campaigner and fundraiser.

Her recent Fox News town hall in Iowa has expanded her momentum after Gillibrand was asked ‘what about men?’ when discussing her want to have more women have a seat at the table. Her now viral response of ‘they’re already there - do you not know?’ provided her campaign with the burst it needed. Despite such attention only two of the six female candidates, Harris and Warren, have managed to meet all the criteria to qualify to appear on the debate stage in June. In order for Gillibrand to win the nomination she needs to portray herself as the one candidate that can defeat Trump.

this historic race will no doubt continue to inspire young women to step up and run.

Amy Klobuchar

Senator from Minnesota, 58

Amy Klobuchar’s key strength is her Midwest base. The loss of the Upper Midwestern states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan by the Clinton campaign in 2016 helped Trump build his path to the Presidency and the Democratic party need those states back in order to win in 2020. Klobuchar’s strong standing as Senator for Minnesota in neighbouring state Iowa, a key primary battleground, and her impressive 20 years in public office - 12 as a U.S senator - are helping her present herself as the candidate the Democratic party need to take back those states.

Klobuchar’s signature issues set her apart from other candidates as they centre around health care. As part of her campaign, she has released a $100 billion plan to combat mental health problems and substance abuse in order to address the opioid crisis and fund broader substance abuse treatment.

However, her fairly moderate standing amongst the candidates and voting history does little to raise excitement. Further, the allegations surrounding Klobuchar’s treatment of staff have fuelled the view that Klobuchar is too demanding or tough to win over the public. While many of the criticisms can be gendered, having a reputation as a bad leader will make it harder for Klobuchar to convince voters to back her in the end.

Tulsi Gabbard

Congresswoman from Hawaii, 38

Tulsi Gabbard is a progressive favourite with a conservative record and an unconventional political career. Elected as a member of Congress in 2012, she became the first Hindu and first American Samoan voting member of Congress. Arguably Gabbard’s presidential campaign is a long shot as she has very little name recognition outside of Hawaii. As the only female candidate with combat experience as an Iraq War veteran, her signature issues set her apart. Gabbard opposes military intervention abroad, even going so far as to argue against any foreign intervention. Her January 2017 secret ‘fact-finding’ mission to Syria to meet with Assad and her doubt that the Syrian dictator used chemical weapons on his own people presents an impulsive candidate who is stumbling to find her place amongst 22 other more well-known names.

While Gabbard has since apologised for her strongly antiLGBTQ voting record and released a statement affirming her support for same-sex marriage, her 2002 state legislature campaign focused on banning same-sex marriage in Hawaii. It is unclear if Democratic voters are willing to look past Gabbard’s past imperfections and embrace, what Gabbard defines as, her Aloha spirit and the ability to transcend all the superficial divisiveness to bring the country together.

Marianne Williamson

Self-help Author, 66

Marianne Williamson wants the American public to ‘Join the Evolution’ and she aims to fix the deep emotional and psychological dynamics within the average citizen that have led to the erosion of the political system. A wild-card, atypical political candidate, Williamson is the only female candidate without political experience, losing her independent for Congress in 2014.

Despite never being elected to office, she has experience in left-wing activism working to establish a Department of Peace. Her signature issue comprises of $100 billion reparation for slavery, with a further $10 billion to be distributed to the African American community annually over a decade, for further economic and education projects. Williamson hopes her recent move to Iowa to focus on the battleground caucus shows a commitment and respect to the state, one which will win her favours with key voters there.

The long-time spiritual advisor to Oprah Winfrey hopes her credentials will make her a standout contender to guide the American people through this era of political chaos and soothe the troubled nation.