2020 Election Update

By Eva Lynch

This week in election news, the focus of one of the most historically tense Democratic races has switched to the question of Joe Biden’s running mate, and the Republican National Convention has reached record fundraising highs even amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Biden remains the sole candidate in active pursuit of the Democratic nomination, and following Senator Bernie Sanders’ dropout, the endorsements for Biden have poured in. Arguably one of the most shocking of these endorsements is conservative West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. Manchin’s support is important for the blue-collar voting block in West Virginia and is surprising because he has withheld support for previous Democratic nominees like Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama on behalf of their anti-coal miner policies. His endorsement joins recent support from the top Muslim political group in the United States, Emgage, and many others, including from many of the former Democratic candidates like Sanders and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris.

Many constituents and experts speculate one of these former political opponents of Biden will appear on the ticket as his running mate. The most popular predictions include Harris or Klobuchar, which experts argue would secure the black voting block and more progressive and industrial voters, respectively.  While Biden’s campaign advisors recognize that his role in the future of the Democratic party is growing weightier and the pressure to find the perfect running mate continues to grow along with it, no private polling or vetting by his campaign has begun yet.

Fundraising for both Biden’s and President Donald Trump’s campaigns grow in importance as the general election approaches quickly and in volatility amidst the COVID-19 virus-induced economic collapse. The Republican National Committee raised a March record of $24 million, and Biden’s campaign raised a personal record of $46.7 million the same month. These numbers despite the current crisis prove the 2020 general election’s stature as a beacon of hope for Democrat and Republican constituents alike.