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The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

Why 2020 Presidential candidates are dropping like flies

Seniors+and+former+Presidential+nominee+Pete+Buttigeg+supporters+Maddy+Licea+and+Carly+Lundry+participate+in+the+Iowa+caucus+on+Feb.+3%2C+2020.
Carly Lundry
Seniors and former Presidential nominee Pete Buttigeg supporters Maddy Licea and Carly Lundry participate in the Iowa caucus on Feb. 3, 2020.

In the span of a few days, three major political candidates dropped out of the Presidential race. This trend is abnormal from previous elections, and it’s leaving US citizens wondering: why so sudden? 

Super Tuesday happens before each Presidential election and consists of 14 states voting in the primaries all in one day. In other words, it is the biggest day in the entire race for political party candidates. This year, Super Tuesday occurred on Tuesday, March 3, and was a vote between only five candidates.

Currently, the five candidates left in the election are Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former Vice President Joe Biden and National Guard Representative Tulsi Gabbard. It is becoming blatantly clear that Senator Sanders and Joe Biden will pull ahead as the democratic nominees.

In 2016, there were seven candidates running on Super Tuesday. An article on fortune.com by Mike Hoffman discussed the phenomenon in the rapid dropping of candidates. “But it also reflected another phenomenon somewhat unique to the 2020 Democratic presidential primary: The fact that so many candidates, including top-tier political talent, have dropped out of the race before a single ballot has been cast in Iowa or elsewhere,” Hoffman said.

The article continues to explain the reasoning behind 17 candidates leaving the race, and doing so relatively early. One of the main purposes of dropping out is money. The contenders currently left in the race are swimming in funds for their campaigns. Even with enough support, candidates without necessary cash flow are forced to drop out.

PV Government teacher Joe Youngbauer speaks to the influence of money on the presidential running. “You look at Michael Bloomberg as an example of personal finances; Tom Steyer as well. The money allows them to be in the race,” he said. “Ultimately, to get to nomination, you’ll need more than your personal bank account,” Youngbauer continued.

Another factor in the sudden decrease in candidates is the impeachment of President Trump. Several candidates including Amy Klobuchar and Senator Sanders are participating in the efforts to get Trump out of office. Because of the trials and constant debates, the impeachment has disrupted their personal campaigns.

Youngbauer is aware of the influence that impeachment trials have on the primaries. “Candidates are going to go against an incumbent because they want to attack,” he stated. “There’s a heightened sense of that in this election because of the trial.”

Something anyone can observe about the election is the change in intentions. Forty years ago, the goal of the President was to please the people of the country through their groundbreaking policies and positive actions. In the present day, being President is more of an act, where the politician must appear appealing to the public, regardless of the situation. Debates are performances to test the sharpness of candidates, and every appearance the President makes is planned and rehearsed.

Instead of being an intimate relationship with the citizens of the US, the American Presidency has become a publicity stunt. This is clearly seen through President Trump’s Twitter account, where he posts controversial statements and updates of his policies.

For these reasons, the profile of candidates for elections has changed, turning into wealthy and successful politicians. With stakes high, viable 2020 candidates have been forced to exit the race.

The 2020 election has become a disappointment for many. Senior Bell Luebken, supporter of former democrat nominee Pete Buttigeg, feels discouraged by the vicious nature of the election. 

“I think the election is very unique due to the large amount of candidates originally, and with them constantly dropping out throughout the race, it has led to a lot of uncertainty of who will be our candidate,” Luebken said. “I think the variety has put democrats against each other, and the party has begun to lose unity.”

With changing requirements for the Presidency and chaotic primaries with varying results, the 2020 election is keeping Americans on their feet. On top of that, heavy drops in participation in the race shows a shaky future for this fall. 

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About the Contributors
Brooke Goy, Copy Editor
Brooke Goy is a senior at Pleasant Valley high school. Goy is originally from the suburbs of Chicago but somehow ended up in small town Iowa with plans of possibly going to the University of Iowa and majoring in communications. She explains why she wants to become a criminal defense lawyer when she gets older, “I want to help people who have been wrongfully convicted and I want to bring justice to our corrupt government system,” Goy said. In her free time, Goy likes to play varsity tennis for her school and travel. She has been to England, Australia, and Canada. Goy especially liked traveling to Australia because she has family that lives there and she enjoys the incredibly diverse terrain that Australia presents. She sadly doesn’t have any pets but if she could have one, she would want a dalmatian. Goy’s favorite possession is her camera because she likes to spend her time taking pictures with her friends and taking part in extravagant photo shoots. 
Carly Lundry, Editor in Chief
Carly Lundry is currently 18 years old and a senior at Pleasant Valley High School. When she is not dedicating her time to academics, Lundry enjoys swimming for our high school team and club. Lundry is also apart of the extremely successful Pleasant Valley Softball team. Lundry enjoys reading and has dedicated herself to her academic career all throughout high school. Lundry also enjoys general exercise in her free time. Outside of her busy schedule Lundry enjoys analyzing politics and current events. Lundry looks forward to being involved in politics and having the ability to vote in the next election. Lundry has found a passion of hers is the environment; she is a vegan as apart of her lifestyle. Being vegan is a part of Lundry’s dedication to reversing climate change. Due to this dedication, Lundry intends on pursuing a career where she can study nutrition and dietetics. After high school, Lundry intends on attending a big school to continue her education. She also enjoys yoga, cooking, and teaching swim lessons.  
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Why 2020 Presidential candidates are dropping like flies