As the 2020 general election draws closer, anxiety has been rising within the Democratic party in the wake of the Biden campaign rollout. The so-called “Biden surge” which was expected to put the Democratic frontrunner significantly ahead of his rivals, failed to materialize upon his nomination, leading many to question the Biden campaign’s strategy and messaging.
There is a real worry among some within the Democratic ranks that the former Vice President may not be able to consolidate the party’s base and excite the voters enough to win the presidential election. This concern has only been heightened by the ongoing controversies surrounding Joe Biden, including his bipartisanship, changing stance on the Hyde Amendment, and refusal to promise he would step down from the White House in one term.
The question of who will be capable of beating President Trump in the election is a major source of anxiety within the party. While the Democratic primary saw a large field of candidates, some of whom had broad appeal, Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders were the only two who consistently showed they could compete with the current president in polls.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee moved to cancel the 2020 presidential debates due to Pandemic related health concerns. This move, coupled with the Biden campaign’s lack of focus on those contests, has caused further unease within the party that Biden’s strategy is inadequate for the task of unseating Trump in November.
Overall, the Democratic party is grappling with the reality that Biden may not be the ideal candidate for 2020, leading to a growing sense of apprehension about the eventual outcome of the election. With Biden having failed to significantly grow his support base since being selected as the party’s presumptive nominee, anxiety continues to spread as Democrats prepare to face their rival in the upcoming campaign.
