By: Richard W. Sharp

Not bad, Resistance. Voters have rejected the Trump agenda and the deconstruction of  American democracy seems to have stalled, for now. You might say it hit a wall.¹ Now it’s time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get ready for the next step: rejecting Trump himself in 2020.

Ugh, can’t we let it rest until Super Tuesday? No, by primary season it will be too late. To have impact in 2020, you will have to have a say in who will face off against the great negotiator,² or at least on the issues that will frame the campaign. You will need to get in early, before primary season, and back a candidate who can either win or define the parameters that dominate the general election.

Will you choose wisely? Well let’s get started at least by taking a look at the field. What are the messages and who are the messengers to date?

The Big Board

2020 Challengers
Name	Party	Official Site	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Positions held	Photo
John Delaney	D	John Delaney for President	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Businessman (commercial banking), MD Representative
Andrew Yang	D	Yang 2020	Wikipedia	None	Entrepeneur from NY
Elizabeth Warren	D	Elizabeth Warren	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Law professor (Harvard, Penn, …), MA Senator*
Tulsi Gabbard	D	Vote Tulsi	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	HI State Representative, US Army (major), Honolulu City Council, HI Representative*
Julián Castro	D	Julián for the Future	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	San Antonio City Council, Mayor of San Antonio, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Obama).
Kirsten Gillibrand	D	Gillibrand 2020	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Lawyer, NY Representative, NY Senator*
Kamala Harris	D	Kamala Harris: For the People	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	District Attorney of San Francisco, CA Attorney General, CA Senator*
Pete Buttigieg	D	Pete for America	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	US Navy (lieutenant), Mayor of South Bend
Joe Biden	D	not yet announced	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Lawyer, DE Senator, Vice President of the United States (Obama)
Cory Booker	D	not yet announced	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Newark City Council, Mayor of Newark, NJ Senator*
Bernie Sanders	I	not yet announced	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	political activist, Mayor of Burlington, VT Representative, VT Senator*, 2016 presidential candidate
Howard Schultz	I	not yet announced	Wikipedia	None	Businessman (CEO Starbucks Corporation)
Larry Hogan	R	not yet announced	Wikipedia	Ballotpedia	Businessman (real estate development), MD Secretary of Appointments, MD Govorner*

Admittedly, this list comes up a bit short. To date, 483 candidates have filed to run with the FEC, some more serious than others.³ As such, the list only includes candidates that have established a high enough profile to build a following and generate significant press. There will be additions, and the Green and Libertarian parties are likely to eventually put up somebody that plays in the debate.

Want your voice to be heard in November, 2020? Now’s the time to get involved. Find that candidate, or run yourself, but don’t be silent. It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you change the game.

Notes:
¹  Never let a good pun go to waste. These fine news outlets certainly didn’t.^
² Negotiating tip, after you cede power to your opponent, you can expect an offer similar to this.^
³ For example, Sexy Vegan is running and listed party affiliation as “other”.^