Presidential hopefuls announce runs for 2020 election
Illustration by Anna Rasmus
While the next presidential election may seem a ways off, the first caucus is just a year out, scheduled to begin in February 2020. The Iowa caucus is significant because it’s where the first votes will be cast in support of presidential candidates; that is, it’s the first real chance for candidates to gauge where they stand in the eyes of everyday voters.
At the time of this article being published, there is only one Republican who is running for election, and it’s actually reelection: President Donald Trump will be on the ballot. Trump filed his reelection campaign with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) on the day of his inauguration, Jan. 20, 2017, and has been fundraising for it.
There are rumors that other Republicans may soon announce their runs for presidency. Former Ohio governor John Kasich, Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, former Arizona senator Jeff Flake and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas are a few who may challenge Trump in the Republican primary. With nothing officially announced, American voters have to speculate who else will appear next to Trump on the GOP ballot.
On the other hand, many Democrats have announced their runs for presidency. Amongst them are Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Senator Kamala Harris of California, Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, former Maryland representative John Delaney and mayor of Southbend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg.
Other politicians who are potentially considering running include former vice president Joe Biden, former Texas representative Beto O’Rourke, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
With so many politicians coming forward, there are some terms being thrown around that many students, especially those who haven’t voted before, may not be familiar with.
Several potential presidential candidates have launched exploratory committees, which means they are seriously considering running for president but haven’t decided to formally run yet. Exploratory committees allow candidates to fundraise, travel and poll to “test the waters” before they officially begin their campaign. Warren announced in December that she had formed an exploratory committee.
Students can prepare for the upcoming election by researching the candidates before the primary elections roll around. Candidates have websites which will outline their values and goals. Voters can also get involved in candidates’ campaigns by volunteering, door-knocking, helping register people to vote and more.
Ballotpedia has an up-to-date list of 2020 presidential candidates.