Bernie is "winning."

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

The latest polls have Bernie as the only Democratic candidate with a positive favorable-unfavorable spread.

Here's my question to the smart Coolerites:

We know America is more Democratic than Republican. But we also know Democrats don't vote. So, when that all adds up, can America really elect a leftist like Bernie? Would he have any chance in the general?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/184346/sanders-surges-clinton-sags-favorability.aspx

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

The latest polls have Bernie as the only Democratic candidate with a positive favorable-unfavorable spread.

Here's my question to the smart Coolerites:

We know America is more Democratic than Republican. But we also know Democrats don't vote. So, when that all adds up, can America really elect a leftist like Bernie? Would he have any chance in the general?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/184346/sanders-surges-clinton-sags-favorability.aspx

You said it. Democrats don't vote. Well, they vote in general elections. It's a sad fact that democrats simply don't understand that the power in Washington lies in The House and Senate. They also don't realize how important their own state legislatures are.

 

[twenty02]

No he would have no chance. 0%.

It would be a 1984 type outcome.

 

[zeke4ahs]

No he would have no chance. 0%.

It would be a 1984 type outcome.

Well it might depend who he is running against. You realize the GOP front runner is Donald Trump, right? Gotta think the Dems could put up a donkey and he'd beat Trump.

 

[twenty02]

Well it might depend who he is running against. You realize the GOP front runner is Donald Trump, right? Gotta think the Dems could put up a donkey and he'd beat Trump.

Yes if hell froze over and Trump was nominated. But that isn't going to happen. Just as Herman Cain or Bachmann had no chance, even if they were once leading polls.

We're trying to look at what's reasonable here, Goat asked if Bernie could get elected. Honestly Trump would probably even beat him.


Not only does Bernie have 0% chance of winning the general, he has 0% chance of winning the nomination. He has no cross over constituency beyond white, left wing voters, very prevalent in the areas he's been visiting, particularly college towns. The party establishment is never going to get behind him. He could win Iowa and NH, and that still wouldn't change.

 

[Hank Reardon]

Perhaps Bernie could win the general election if Trump were to make an Independent run and split the vote. Otherwise, unlikely.

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

While more people call themselves Democrat than Republicans, the Independent group is the largest. Combine that with the fact that self-identified conservatives are the largest group, followed by moderate and then liberal, the electoral advantage probably isn't nearly so strong for Democrats as it appears. Few of those self-identified conservatives are going to vote for Democrats (though I'd guess a portion would be ignorant enough to waste a vote on Trump should he run third party) and are most likely to vote for Republicans. Very likely that the moderates will split fairly evenly. Bernie has no chance to win a general - and neither does Trump. Trump has some of the crazies that support Ron Paul last time and he had no chance either. However, I'll gladly support Bernie's run as an Independent (which is what he's claimed he was until he decided to run as a Democrat for President) or a Socialist. Maybe we'll have Sanders and Trump run along with the Republican and Democratic candidates. Now that would be interesting, but we'll still have a Republican or a Democrat win the Presidency.

 

[IU1]

The latest polls have Bernie as the only Democratic candidate with a positive favorable-unfavorable spread.

Here's my question to the smart Coolerites:

We know America is more Democratic than Republican. But we also know Democrats don't vote. So, when that all adds up, can America really elect a leftist like Bernie? Would he have any chance in the general?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/184346/sanders-surges-clinton-sags-favorability.aspx

I believe Bernie Sanders has a real shot at winning the DNC but it's way too early to tell. Is he getting the extreme socialist vote now and that's all he's going to get? One thing I respect about Bernie is he is a man of principle whereas Billary is not. Billary is not a likable person and doesn't have any real convictions and I suspect many suffer from Clinton fatigue the way many suffer from Bush fatigue.

We'll have to see how things shakeout for Sanders. Can he rally minority groups to vote for him? Can he connect with the mainstream and chip away at the Hillary supporters?

Right now he has really excited the Maddow crowd and has emerged as the front runner. Can he keep the momentum? We'll see, it's going to be interesting.

 

[DougS]

Hillary has one thing that Sanders does not - a chance to be the First Woman elected as President. She can make this an "Historic" election, much as Obama did in 2008. There are people who will vote for her simply to "break the glass ceiling". I don't know what that translates to in percentage points, but if Trump ran Independent neither he nor any Republican nominee would have a chance against her - even if she started regularly strangling small children and puppies. (Well, maybe puppies). I don't think the same is true for Sanders but I will say this. If it comes down to Trump versus Sanders as the only two viable candidates, I will vote for Sanders (unless he starts strangling kittens).

 

[zeke4ahs]

Hillary has one thing that Sanders does not - a chance to be the First Woman elected as President. She can make this an "Historic" election, much as Obama did in 2008. There are people who will vote for her simply to "break the glass ceiling". I don't know what that translates to in percentage points, but if Trump ran Independent neither he nor any Republican nominee would have a chance against her - even if she started regularly strangling small children and puppies. (Well, maybe puppies). I don't think the same is true for Sanders but I will say this. If it comes down to Trump versus Sanders as the only two viable candidates, I will vote for Sanders (unless he starts strangling kittens).

I might be ok with children and kittens. I draw the line at dogs.