Because I find him interesting. In 2016 I would have bet a thousand dollars that he would easily become President one day, and boy was I wrong. As the 2020 primary, and his best shot, roll around; the New Jersey Senator clocks in at a solid two percent in the most recent polling average. Well the support of about two in one hundred people has got to sting, it also falls well inside the margin of zero, adding a little salt to the wound.
Not only are the polls beyond low, but the Booker campaign finances are not great either. Well he has raised an impressive 18 million dollars, he has already burnt through 14 million of it, to poll in at 2 percent. Its painfully obvious that this campaign has not lived up to the the hype I had expected during our last national election. Well there are always a multitude of factors that help derail a campaigns ambitions, a few stand out to myself when it comes to Mr. Booker.
To me, the Kavanaugh battle was the beginning of the end for the Senator. While he helped cause disruptions, Kavanaugh was still confirmed and all the Senator was left with was his Spartacus moment clip; something political science students will no doubt be forced to watch for at least the next five years. Picking a losing battle to fight is not a one way ticket to the white house, and we can see that in abundance.
On top of this easy to point to blunder, Booker just doesn’t stand out. He isn’t a hardcore socialist, or a former VP, or have cross line appeals. He is a run of the mill blue state democrat in a race where it pays to be anything but. With no strong name recognition, no big wins and squandering his best opportunity, its no surprise what the polls are showing.
Can Booker come back? Honestly no, there is no real path for him to climb out of obscurity. With only about 1 in 50 supporting him, there really is no point to stay in. But, and let’s be honest, he has no real reason to get out. While bailing out of the race may be a logical choice, he can still build some name recognition and maybe get a cabinet offer if he manages to make a good impression. Overall, this campaign has been a disappointing end to a once promising career.