Hickenlooper, Moulton and Inslee Drop Out of 2020 Race
The Primary: Jay Inslee, Seth Moulton and John Hickenlooper announced they will be dropping out of the 2020 race.
Who? What? Why?: The three candidates brings the grand total of drop-outs to four, with 19 remaining. In their departing announcements, Inslee said he intends to run for Colorado governor and Hickenlooper expressed intention to run for Senate.
The Baseline: As the third round of debates loom overhead, candidates are struggling to meet the more stringent requirements for qualification, thus thinning the packed field. More candidates who cannot make the cut are expected to drop out soon. Only three candidates are currently polling over 10 percent, (Warren, Sanders and Biden).
From the Left: The New York Times editorial board applauds Jay Inslee’s fight for climate change, despite the single issue platform being somewhat doomed from the start. However, they argue that without Inslee, climate change might not be at the center of the debate like it is now.
From the Right: Henry Olsen of the Washington Post says Inslee and others’ failure to break out is the result of being the same as everyone else. Outsider candidates do well when they present issues not being discussed but, he argues, when every other candidate already has a position on climate change, for example, long-shot candidates don’t stand a chance.