Live from New Hampshire: Bernie Sanders is tonight's favorite & surging nationally By Luke Perry
Bernie Sanders is favored to win today’s New Hampshire primary. Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton by 22 points in 2016. His campaign has the organization, resources, and momentum to propel this fellow New Englander to victory again. The question is by how much.
Pete Buttigieg has risen in the New Hampshire polls with growing momentum following Iowa. He looks to be the main challenge to Sanders, though late deciders and registered independents, who can vote in the Democratic primary if they like, complicate predictions.
Photo by Luke Perry
In making his closing arguments before New Hampshire voters, Sanders believes this is the most consequential election of the modern era, if not U.S. history. His stump speeches begin with a scathing critique of President Trump, who he described as a “pathological liar,” “bully,” “racist,” “sexist” and “homophobe.”
“You can disagree with our policy, but I will not be lying to the American people every day and about everything,” Sanders said before a crowd in Manchester on Monday.
Sanders believes he can defeat Trump for several reasons. He is ahead in every head-to-head poll and his “unprecedented grassroots campaign” has “changed the name of the game in terms of funding campaigns.”
“Other candidates talk about conferring with donors,” Sanders explained, “you are my donors.” The average contribution to his campaign is $18.
Photo by Luke Perry
Sanders believes his agenda speaks to working people. He advocates for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, equal pay for equal work, and protecting unions.
Sanders’s agenda involves a myriad of other concerns, including education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, gun safety, and climate change. He called for paying teachers a minimum of $60,000 per year because he “values education and values educators.”
Sanders also believes that “everyone should have the opportunity to get a higher education at a public college or university tuition free” and wants to cancel all student debt.
Sanders observed how the U.S. incarcerates more people than China in “a broken, racist system” and how America’s response to climate change needs to be based on science, transforming energy production from fossil fuels to renewable sources, creating jobs.
On gun violence, Sanders said there is a growing consensus in support of universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. He believes the National Rifle Association should no longer write gun policies.
Photo by Luke Perry
Sanders spoke of his father, a Polish immigrant who came to the U.S. at the age of 17, and living paycheck-to-paycheck growing up. He explained that his campaign message, “Not me. Us.” comes from his belief that collective action is essentially people helping other people. Sanders stressed that major changes to power dynamics in America have come from the bottom up, not the top-down.
In just five years, Sanders has transformed himself from a quirky Democratic-Socialist in Vermont, to mounting a strong, long shot presidential campaign in 2016, to now leading the 2020 pack in national polling, as of yesterday.
This has been a remarkable journey. All the more so, given Sanders survived a heart attack just months ago. His high enthusiasm among supporters, strong organization and resources, position him well for the months ahead.
Still, the road to the nomination is uncertain. Sanders has critics within the Democratic Party, uneasy with his revolutionary message, highly progressive policy, and harsh rhetoric toward the president, they fear may alienate potential cross-over voters.
Even so, this particular contest looks to be Sanders’ night. How the field sorts behind him will dictate who remains in the race and the dynamics of the campaign heading to Nevada.
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College reporting from Manchester, New Hampshire
