Liberal presidential hopefuls Sanders, Warren face 2020 showdown in New
Hampshire
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[September 04, 2019]
By John Whitesides
HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. (Reuters) - The
simmering rivalry between progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth
Warren, presidential contenders with similar policies but sharply
different styles, is headed for a showdown in New Hampshire.
The state's Feb. 11 Democratic primary election is likely to decide
which of the two neighboring U.S. senators, Sanders from Vermont or
Warren from Massachusetts, emerges as the top liberal challenger to
establishment front-runner Joe Biden in the 2020 race to pick a nominee
to take on Republican President Donald Trump.
The two progressives, who campaigned in New Hampshire over the Labor Day
holiday weekend and will return again later this week, are increasing
their staffing and visits in the New England state that holds the second
nominating contest in the Democratic race.
Recent opinion polls show Sanders running second and the steadily rising
Warren third behind Biden in New Hampshire, where they are known
quantities to the state's big bloc of liberal voters. Exit polls in 2016
found 68% of those who cast a ballot in the Democratic primary
considered themselves very or somewhat liberal.
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That makes New Hampshire, a traditional proving ground that can make or
break presidential contenders, ground zero for the inevitable Sanders
vs. Warren conflict.
"It will be a real challenge moving forward for the one who doesn't win,
or finishes behind the other. It will have a damaging effect," said Jim
Demers, co-chairman of Barack Obama's 2008 New Hampshire campaign, who
has endorsed U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey in the race.
In 2016, Sanders won 60% of the primary vote in beating Hillary Clinton
in the state during an unsuccessful run for the White House.
Given his strong performance, Sanders faces more pressure and bigger
expectations than Warren this time around, said Kathy Sullivan, a former
chairwoman of the state party who has not backed a candidate.
"Bernie needs to win here," she said. "It doesn't mean it's over if he
doesn't, but it's going to be much harder for him."
The two candidates share similarities in ideology and have promised not
to criticize each other, but they showed plenty of stylistic differences
during their weekend visits to New Hampshire.
At a town hall meeting and a rally on Sunday, Sanders soberly reminded
crowds he was attacked during the 2016 campaign for his "radical" ideas
such as Medicare for All, free public college tuition and a higher
federal minimum wage, all issues that have now moved into the Democratic
mainstream.
"These are no longer radical ideas," said Sanders, whose speeches were
almost devoid of personal references.
At an outdoor house party in Hampton Falls on Monday, Warren laced her
talk with personal details and jokes, drawing a link between the
financial uncertainty of her childhood in Oklahoma and the impact it had
on her populist economic policies.
"That's why I'm in this fight," she said, before taking selfies with
members of the crowd in a driving rain.
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'BERNIE BEATS TRUMP'
Both Sanders, 77, and Warren, 70, addressed one of the biggest voter
concerns about their candidacies: their ability to win over enough
moderate and independent voters to beat Trump in November 2020 and
recapture the White House.
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![](../images/090419pics/news_u39.jpg)
Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks at a campaign house party in Hampton
Falls, New Hampshire, U.S., September 2, 2019. REUTERS/Brian
Snyder/File Photo
![](../images/ads/current/fitzpatrick_lda_SPONSOR_2017.png)
Sanders repeatedly touted polls showing him beating Trump in a
head-to-head matchup. Ben Cohen, a Sanders supporter and co-founder
of the Vermont ice cream company Ben & Jerry's, led the crowd in a
chant of "Bernie Beats Trump!"
Warren was asked in Hampton Falls about concerns over her
electability.
"I think what is going to carry us as Democrats is not playing it
safe," she said. "You have got to give people a reason to show up
and vote, and that's what I'm doing."
There are differences in the two senators' appeal. Some polls show
Sanders doing better among young people, lower-income earners and
people without a college degree. Those without a degree were 40% of
the Democratic electorate in the state in 2016.
Dean Merchant, a writer from Stratham, said he backed Sanders in
2016 but thought it was time for a woman in the White House. He is
considering Warren, as well as U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard of
Hawaii and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California.
"I like Bernie, but he's like Biden - he's older now," Merchant
said. "At this stage I would like to see someone more vibrant,
strong and forceful."
Kevin Daley, an acupuncturist in Raymond, said he was backing
Sanders but would be happy with Warren.
"She's a brilliant person and she has been a good progressive. I
just hope they don't end up splitting the vote and we end up with
Biden - that's the danger," said Daley.
Jeff Weaver, a senior adviser to Sanders, said the campaign has
about 50 paid staff in the state and will hire more. New Hampshire
is an important step toward the nomination, he said, "but I don't
think there is any one state that will make or break this campaign."
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The Warren campaign has five field offices in New Hampshire, with a
sixth opening this week. It did not provide a number of paid staff
in the state. Biden has 45 paid staff here, said Terry Shumaker, a
Biden supporter who co-chaired Bill Clinton's state campaigns.
Sanders and Warren will both be back this weekend at the state
Democratic convention. Warren has been in the state on 17 days since
January, and Sanders on 12, according to a candidate tracker at the
NBC10 television station in Boston.
New Hampshire has a history of being kind to its neighbors,
particularly those from Massachusetts, with past winners from the
state including Republican Mitt Romney and Democrats John Kerry,
Paul Tsongas and Michael Dukakis.
Arnie Arnesen, a liberal radio host and former New Hampshire state
legislator, said she was like many voters in the state who have not
chosen a candidate yet.
"I'm not feeling pressured to make a choice," she said. "It is going
to be very close with Elizabeth and Bernie coming out of here. Why
choose now?"
(Reporting by John Whitesides; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and
Jonathan Oatis)
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