New Poll: Democratic Women of Color Back Kamala Harris for 2020; Beto Ranks Second

Kamala Harris

Getty Senator Kamala D. Harris speaks on stage at The United State of Women Summit 2018 - Day 1 on May 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.

A new poll by She the People found that Democratic women of color involved in politics would overwhelmingly pick Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2020. The organization polled 264 women of color working as leaders, campaign workers and managers, political strategists, organizers, and activists around the country. Respondents were asked to say who they’d like to see as the 2020 Democratic candidate — and they were also asked which Democrat they thought would make the worst candidate. You can see the full poll right here.


Most Respondents Went for Harris; Both Beto O’Rourke & Joe Biden Ranked Ahead of Cory Booker

GettyBeto O’Rourke at the close of the. 2018 midterm cycle

Kamala Harris was the overwhelming winner of the poll, with just over 70 percent of people ranking her in their “top three” of candidates they’d like to see running in 2020. Beto O’Rourke, whose star has been rising ever since he first mounted a campaign against Texas Senator Ted Cruz, was in second place. Former vice president Joe Biden was ranked third. Meanwhile, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a self-styled civil rights champion, ranked fourth in the poll.

38.3% of respondents named Beto O’Rourke as one of their top three picks for 2020. Another 25 percent named Joe Biden for 25%, and 24.2% said that Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was in their top three. Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams came in at 15.2%, and Senator Bernie Sanders came in at 12.1%.


One in Three Respondents Said They ‘Would Not Consider’ Bernie Sanders as a Candidate

bernie sanders nicholas bukoski threat

GettySenator Bernie Sanders.

The She the People poll asked respondents to list the candidates who they consider to be off-limits because of their inability to appeal to, or reach, women of color. Respondents overwhelmingly said that they would not consider Michael Avenatti, the Stormy Daniels lawyer, because he could not reach women of color. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg ranked second in the list of possible candidates who were perceived as unable to reach women of color.

About one in three respondents (32.4%) said that they wouldn’t consider Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders as a candidate for 2020, based on his perceived inability to appeal to women of color. One in five (20.3%) respondents said the same about New York governor Andrew Cuomo.


Participants Said Their Key Issues Are Immigration, Criminal Justice Reform, & Medicare for All

Pollsters asked the participants to list what they believe are the most important issues facing the United States today. There was no one, stand-out issue that dominated responses; instead, six key issues ere mentioned at about equal levels. Respondents said that humane immigration, criminal justice reform, and medicare for all were important issues; so were protecting voting rights, gun control, and addressing climate change.

A relatively small majority (55.7%) of respondents said that the Democratic party is “poised to inspire and engage women of color voters and leaders in 2020.” Respondents called on the Democratic Party to improve by hiring more women and supporting more female candidates for office. They also urged party leaders to “create a bold agenda that reflects our interests.” Many participants also said they believe that the Democratic party needs to “invest in field efforts to reach more women of color.”

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