Martin Gelin: There are reasons to be skeptical of the O’Rourkes candidacy

If someone wonder what the democrats who set it up in next year's presidential election as it is the shortest answer is: everyone. Of the dozens of politicians who, during the past year been mentioned as possible candidates is, in principle, every single one launched campaigns at this point. It looks to be the largest starting field ever for the Democrats in a primary, comparable with the Republicans in 2016, then 16 established politicians lined up for the party.

consider the next presidential election as an existential crossroad for the nation of the united states. No one seems to want to risk being accused of sitting on the bench during this storm for american democracy. On Thursday, the 46-year-old Texas democrat Beto O'rourke's campaign, which was to be expected.

O'rourke became a national political star last year when he stood for an election for the senate. He lost by a narrow margin, but his strong result in Texas, a state that has long been a republican stronghold, signaling a rare political strength. O’Rourkes campaign strategy is characterized by an optimistic, hopeful message in which he portrays Donald Trump as a political crisis, which offer Democrats a unique opportunity to mobilize resistance.

"He has become a voice for decency and optimism in one of the most dark and negative political periods in modern history," says Sonia van Meter, a kampanjstrateg who worked with Beto O’Rourke in last year's election, to the DN.

failed O'rourke to mobilize hispanic voters, but his strong results came instead from that he got the wealthy white families, who have often voted for Republicans, to support him. It indicates that O'rourke is also national learn to build their strategy to win the white mittenväljare, who are skeptical against Trump.

When the DN hit the O'rourke ahead of the elections in november last year, he emphasized this broad campaign strategy as a strength.

" My campaign is different. I am running to represent everyone and traveling even to the most republican parts of Texas, I want everyone to know that I represent them, " said O'rourke to DN.

to be skeptical of the O’Rourkes candidacy. The details surrounding the launch will not tame the criticism has already been directed to O'rourke as a privileged man with wealthy parents, but limited political experience.

His candidacy was not published, as the democrats ' other leading campaigns, with an appearance in a popular morgonsoffa, but in a long feature article in the well-heeled americans favoritmagasin, Vanity Fair. The cover shows the O'rourke next to a mission quotes: ”I was born to do this.”

In a time when the Democrats points to the left is O'rourke a mittenorienterad politicians

In a time when the Democrats points to the left is O'rourke a mittenorienterad politicians. In congress, his röstmönster been to the right of not only Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, but also mittendemokrater as Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, all four want to be president.

His kampanjlansering was criticized also for lacking in concrete policy proposals. On the website is offered plenty of opportunities to buy shirts and caps with his campaign slogan, but no list of political issues.

In the early opinion polls before the election, O'rourke ended up in third place behind Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders as the Democratic voters get to name the favoritkandidater. It points to a potential conflict within the party. It was women, young voters and ethnic minorities, which gave the Democrats big victories in mellanårsvalet. But now is the three white men who are the most well known candidates for the presidential election.