In the event that undeclared front-runner Hillary Clinton does not seek the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, party leaders are left wondering who will fill the void.
The controversy over her use of a private email account as secretary of state raised the specter that
for one reason or another Clinton might not run after all, leaving analysts to speculate about possible alternatives.
The
National Journal's Emma Roller listed some potential substitutes to Clinton, starting with
former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, who formed an exploratory committee in November, and
Maryland's ex-governor Martin O'Malley, who has a leadership
PAC.
Massachusetts
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a perennial favorite of the party's left-flank but has repeatedly insisted she would not be a candidate. Roller says simply: "Don't start that again."
There is
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York. "But he would face the same criticisms Rudy Giuliani faced in 2008: that as a New York politician, he's out of touch with Real America. [California Gov.] Jerry Brown and [former Massachusetts Gov.] Deval Patrick are in a similar camp," Roller wrote.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who identifies as a democratic socialist, may be too far out of the mainstream. As for Vice President Joe Biden, his past presidential campaigns "have flamed out," Roller said.
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, hawkish on foreign policy, "might appeal to security-minded voters," though there is no indication he would be interested in running, according to Roller.
She "throws out" other names — young "lawmakers who fall into the Obama camp" and might be willing to "take a gamble." This roster includes Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, and former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro.
Democrats could also look to a non-politician in the mold of the GOP's Dr. Ben Carson, Roller said, suggesting Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer.
Roller eliminated from consideration former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean as not viable.
"If Hillary Clinton doesn't start defining herself against the narrative her opponents are putting forth, she can't expect to sleepwalk her way back to the White House. And Democrats can't afford to wait for her (and her staff) to wake up," Roller concludes.
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