Headshot of Marina Fang Marina Fang Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post
When he entered the race in May, political observers largely wrote off Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as a “fringe candidate” for the Democratic presidential nomination. Few thought he would present a serious challenge to front-runner Hillary Clinton.
 |
| Bernie Sanders (D) |
But Sanders has now surged ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire by an average of more than 10 points. In recent weeks, several polls in Iowa also show him leading Clinton in the Hawkeye State.
While early caucus and primary polls are not always a reliable indicator of the state of the race, it is safe to say that Sanders’ platform of fighting economic inequality is resonating among more and more Democrats and the party’s enthusiasm for Clinton is waning, giving Sanders ample opportunity to paint himself as a foil.
Sanders’ campaign has invested in a sophisticated ground game in both states, organizing volunteers and spreading his message on social media. He has also raked in impressive amounts of cash, almost entirely from small donations. In the first two months of his campaign, he raised $15 million. But in order to really present himself as a viable challenger to Clinton, Sanders now has to make his message resonate beyond the party’s progressive wing and attempt to diversify his support outside the bastion of mostly young white liberals. Clinton enjoys robust support from black voters, as she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have spent much of their political career engaging the black community.
Sanders’ campaign will have to look beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, as he still trails Clinton nationally -- though he is closing the gap, with a CNN/ORC poll released Thursday showing him within 10 points of Clinton. more
No comments:
Post a Comment