Editorial: The Democrats’ Dilemma
Nevada voters must choose between an idealist and a pragmatist, without losing the base’s enthusiasm
Los candidatos presidenciales demócratas el senador Bernie Sanders y Hillary Clinton. Crédito: EFE
Democrats have rejoiced as the Republican presidential candidates have mercilessly torn into each other. That kind of rancor and viciousness is nowhere to be seen in the Democratic primaries, but that does not mean everything is clear in the battle between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders. On the contrary, the challenges might be different but none the less serious.
Saturday’s Nevada caucuses, the same day of the South Carolina Republican primary, are the first Democratic race outside Iowa and New Hampshire. In those two states, voters pride themselves with valuing a personal contact with the candidates, but their population is far from representative of our country’s diversity. Nevada is the first state in which Latinos, a crucial Democratic constituency, play an important role.
According to polls, Clinton’s Nevada advantage has practically disappeared, while Sanders is surging in popularity. This is not the first time Hillary finds that an anticipated coronation turns out to be a contested race, which in 2008 went down to defeat before then-senator Barack Obama.
It’s not surprising either that her Achilles’ heel today is the same as back then. Polls show that she is one the presidential candidates – including both Democrats and Republicans – most perceived to be insincere. She is also possibly one of the most qualified contenders to the White House, but first she needs to raise enthusiasm and win.
Sanders is the one who stirs Democratic passions and the youth’s idealism. The problem is that an accurate diagnosis is followed by almost impossible to implement solutions, especially in the current political gridlock. One would expect that Clinton’s organization will beat Sanders’ in a caucus system, but today nobody can be sure of anything.
Nevada will serve as a thermometer to measure the state of the Democratic candidates today, divided between an idealist and a pragmatist who inspire enthusiasm and mistrust respectively. This situation must be resolved if the Democrats want to keep the White House.
