The presidential race was thrown into disarray recently when Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched an impeachment investigation against President Donald Trump. At the current time, it is difficult to say what effects these allegations will have on the 2020 presidential race due to the unprecedented nature of the situation.
As for the entirety of the Republican Party, those brave enough to run against President Trump are far and few between. Among those are former Governor Bill Weld (R-MA), radio show host and former Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) and Former Governor and Congressman Mark Sanford (R-SC). Though their efforts are not going unnoticed, support is still overwhelmingly in favor of the incumbent.
The field of Democratic candidates is historically large, with 19 candidates currently in the running. Former Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE) remains the front runner in his bid for the presidency. According to the New York Times, his national polling average falls at 24%. Hot on his tail with a polling average at 21% is Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Warren has been gaining momentum over the past few weeks and over the summer, raised campaign funds that fell between Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Biden. Next in the lineup: Sanders. Relatively trailing Biden and Warren, his polling average as it stands is at 16%, as per the New York Times.
Though these three candidates are clearly in the lead with the next candidates at a national polling average of just 5%, the fate of the trio still hangs in the balance. Seventy-eight-year-old Sanders recently underwent a stay in the hospital for a heart attack and according to the Washington Post, “promised a speedy return to the campaign trail…, but it was unclear whether [he] would be able to replicate his previously frenetic travel schedule.” Biden, long time polling lead, and his son are heavily involved in an impeachment inquiry. Warren, surging ahead in the primaries, met resistance from experts, according to the Washington Post, due to her extreme leftist views. Many are wary to support her receiving the nomination for fear of silencing the moderate voter.
As for the rest of the candidates vying for the public eye, they have some work to do. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-Ind.) and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) each garnered 5% on the national polls. Both Andrew Yang (D-NY) and former Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) hovering around 2% on the polls. The remaining candidates- Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Julián Castro (D-TX), Tom Steyer (D-NY), Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Marianne Williamson (D-TX), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Former Congressman John Delaney (D-MD.), Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH), Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT), Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL.) and former Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA.) – are all on the lower end of the spectrum with 1% or less on the polls.
The next Democratic debate will be the largest one yet, according to the New York Times. Twelve candidates have qualified for the October 15th event: Biden, Warren, Sanders, Buttigieg, Harris, Yang, O’Rourke, Booker, Klobuchar, Steyer, Castro and Gabbard. Biden, Warren, Sanders, Buttigieg and Harris have already qualified for the November 5 event as well. With just four days until the next debate and 389 days until the election, this will be a close race right up until the end.