Jennifer Rubin: Watch out for the governors in 2020
A two-term governor from a geographically distant state can’t even go to Iowa in January without someone raising the subject of the 2020 presidential race, right? So it was when Democratic former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper showed up in Iowa this past weekend.
“First, the former governor was the guest of honor at a house party hosted by a pair of college friends. Then, he toured a local brewery, where he hoisted an IPA and an ale, and poured a few for some customers as well,” Colorado Public Radio reported. “Although he flew here from Washington, D.C. and plunged directly into a crowd of more than 100 people at the house party, it was clear that Hickenlooper was jazzed by the encounter.” Hickenlooper’s pitch is that Colorado is a model for the rest of the country (e.g., a booming economy, historically low unemployment, overseeing marijuana legalization).
At this stage during the pre-campaign, Hickenlooper stands out. The Des Moines Register quoted him as saying, “I’m a big believer that to beat (President Donald) Trump we’re going to need somebody that can demonstrate a continuous, consistent track record of delivering results, of bringing people together, of getting them to lay down their weapons and actually create solutions to the problems.”
Oh, and he ruled out a bipartisan ticket with Republican John Kasich, getting in a plug for his pro-choice bona fides. “The guy doesn’t support Planned Parenthood, I’m sorry,” he said when asked about a “fusion” ticket with the former Ohio governor.
If Hickenlooper doesn’t suit Democrats, they might have several more governors to choose from. Washington’s Jay Inslee, who wants to focus on climate change, has indicated interest. Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe and Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana reportedly have been considering runs. Democrats should welcome governors into the race with open arms, even if they don’t ultimately nominate one.
For starters, governors add a strong dose of pragmatism and common sense to a race dominated by senators (who get to make speeches, but don’t get to execute policy). In addition, the three governors mentioned all had to appeal to substantial numbers of Republicans – and then make deals with Republican lawmakers. Even if they don’t want one of them, Democratic primary voters, we should hope, will be pressed to think hard about basic questions of governance. Can my favorite candidate get anything done in Congress? Can he or she balance spending and taxing, prioritize items on an agenda and learn to find common ground.
Those qualities will be useful in reassuring general election voters that the Democratic nominee is not going to give us four more years of dysfunction, chaos, incompetence and ignorance. Dull might be just the ticket around now.
Finally, if Democrats think former vice president Joe Biden is too old or too much of an insider, having a bunch of moderate governors in the race might convince Biden not to run, or alternatively, split up a block of voters Biden might otherwise capture, thereby allowing a fresher face to win the nomination.
In any event, we suspect Hickenlooper won’t be the last governor to show interest in the race. Given what a mess Trump will leave behind, a competent, accomplished governor might be appealing – either at the top or the bottom of the ticket.