What can we learn from the people who chose not to run for President? All but one of them (including a couple I didn’t write up – former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley and former attorney general Eric Holder) — could see there was no path and too few resources for them to make a successful run for the nomination. Governors, Mayors, Senators, even celebrities and billionaires – distinguished people every one. If they ran, they would be demonstrating their bad political judgment. They would sacrifice their dignity for a chance to express their wish publicly.
There are a few potential candidates who should take notice. Governor Steve Bullock, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Congressman Seth Moulton. Don’t succumb to a wish. There are a few who are actually in the race who should take notice. Current or former Members of Congress John Delaney and Tulsi Gabbard, for two. It is possible, if you are enough of an underdog, you can be an unlikely candidate who will not win, but can impress. Mayor Pete Buttigieg fits that description.
Only one of the candidates who withdrew really did have a path to winning – Sherrod Brown. He may have been afraid his resources and his voters would be sucked up by Joe Biden. There is every chance that, even if Joe Biden finally decides to run, he will gaffe himself into oblivion. More likely, Sherrod Brown may have worried that a run would alienate his own constituency. Ohioans elected him to be their Senator, again. He just might think that the Ohioans who elected him expect him to actually be their Senator. Not a bad thought.