One of the bigger stories emerging in the last week on the campaign trail focused on the increasingly hostile jabs former Vice President Joe Biden is launching against Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is steadily beginning to overtake his frontrunner status.
Also notable: Late last week, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg floated the idea that he would indeed jump into the 2020 race. Although sources close to Bloomberg told Axios that the announcement was partly a trial balloon to gauge interest, it didn’t keep the established 2020 field from panning his candidacy.
Catch up on the biggest horse race developments in this week’s 2020 recap.
Fmr. Vice President Joe Biden
On The Offensive: As Sen. Elizabeth Warren continues to rise in the polls, Biden has gone on the offensive, perhaps sensing that his “frontrunner status” is in question. In the last week, Biden has taken several thinly veiled swipes at the Massachusetts senator. First, he warned that Warren’s Medicare for All plan could hurt down-ballot Democrats. Later in the week, Biden accused her of “condescending” to Democratic voters and being a “my way or the highway” elitist.
Cashing In On The Obama Legacy: Despite constantly evoking the legacy of Barack Obama while on the campaign trail, Biden’s presidential campaign hasn’t exactly been embraced by individuals in “Obama-land.” That is, until recently. Last week, Biden raised money from a Washington, D.C. crowd that included many former Obama administration officials including Jeff Zients, who was the chief economic adviser for the Obama White House, Pete Rouse, who briefly served as White House chief of staff, and former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler. On Tuesday, Biden’s campaign rolled out endorsements from 133 former foreign policy officials, including a number of names who served in the Obama administration with Biden.
Sen. Bernie Sanders
First Up In New Hampshire: Last week, Sanders’ presidential campaign launched its first TV ads in New Hampshire, part of a $1 million ad buy that will run for two weeks in the Granite State.
$30 Million Bucks: Sanders’ campaign announced it plans to spend more than $30 million on TV advertising alone in the first four presidential nominating states and California.
Yes, It’s Expensive…: At an event in Iowa last week, Sanders acknowledged that his $16 trillion plan to address climate change is “expensive.” Speaking at the Climate Crisis Summit with Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Sanders told the crowd, “Building on the Green New Deal, we have brought forth a rather detailed proposal, and I have been criticized by some who say it is expensive. Well, they’re right, it is. It’s $16 trillion.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Responding To Biden: Responding to Joe Biden’s comments criticizing her “my way or the highway” approach to policy proposals, Warren’s campaign sent an email last Friday with the subject line, “I am angry and I own it.” The email seemingly called Biden out for remarks that her campaign deems sexist.
Squad Endorsement: While the rest of the so-called “squad” has endorsed Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, last week Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) announced her support for Warren’s candidacy.
Suspending Deportations: Speaking to a grassroots Latino group last week, Warren said she would consider placing a moratorium on deportations as a bargaining maneuver to pressure Congress into action on immigration reform.
Sen. Kamala Harris
Campaign On Life Support: Harris’ campaign continues on life support this week, and the obituaries for her candidacy are already being written with months to go until Iowa. Last week, Politico’s Christopher Cadelago wrote a piece entitled, “How Kamala Harris Went From ‘Female Obama’ To Fifth Place.”
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Leading In Iowa: Pete Buttigieg, whose presidential campaign has been gaining ground in Iowa over recent weeks, now has a narrow lead atop the 2020 Democratic field in Iowa. A Monmouth University poll published today shows Buttigieg as the first choice of 22 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers — outrunning all other rivals.