US Elections, after New Hampshire eight Democratic candidates still in the race

Eight candidates remained in the U.S. Democratic presidential nominating contest after Iowa and New Hampshire voters kicked off the state-by-state selection process.

What was once a field of more than 20 Democratic candidates has been whittled down to eight, after businessman Andrew Yang, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick dropped out.

The Republican choice will almost certainly be President Donald Trump, who has overwhelmingly won the first two contests.

BERNIE SANDERS

The U.S. senator from Vermont with an impassioned following is making a second attempt at the presidency and has secured a position as front-runner after the first two nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. Sanders finished second in Iowa and first in New Hampshire.

As in his first presidential run in 2016, Sanders, 78, has campaigned as an unapologetic, self-described democratic socialist who seeks nothing less than a political revolution.

Sanders, whose signature issue is government-run universal healthcare, has again proven to be a fundraising powerhouse, leading democrats in terms of total campaign contributions.

JOE BIDEN

Biden, who was vice president under President Barack Obama, built his candidacy on the argument that his more than 40 years in elected office makes him best suited to take over from Trump on Day One.

Lackluster performances in Iowa and New Hampshire have cost Biden his front-runner status, though his campaign argues the upcoming contests in Nevada and South Carolina will be a better test of his ability to assemble a diverse coalition of supporters that includes African Americans, Hispanics and working-class white voters.

At 77, and with notable public gaffes over the past year, questions persist about his age and mental wellbeing. Additionally, his moderate brand of politics appears to be out of step with the leftward shift of the party towards the control of progressives.

Trump’s impeachment, over his request that Ukrainian government investigate Biden and his son Hunter for corruption and misuse of office, appeared to, in the eyes of the Democratic party, boost Biden’s argument that the president views him as a threat; however due to the events of the impeachment, the general democratic voter base has shifted negatively regarding Biden, according to polls.

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG

Media mogul and former New York City Mayor Bloomberg, 77, announced his candidacy in November, very late in the game. His candidacy disrupts the chance of others to secure delegates.

In an unusual move, Bloomberg is skipping early voting states, focusing instead on the larger states such as California, Florida and Texas that vote on March 3 - Super Tuesday - and beyond.

Ranked by Forbes as the eighth-richest American with an estimated worth of $53.4 billion, Bloomberg has previously been praised within the party for his advocacy and philanthropy on climate change and in fighting gun violence. He served as mayor of New York from 2002 to 2013.

ELIZABETH WARREN

The 70-year-old U.S. senator from Massachusetts saw her standing in opinion polls skyrocket and then fade in the months leading up the early primary contests. Warren finished third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire, which neighbors her home state.

A fierce critic of Wall Street, she has based her campaign on a populist anti-corruption message and argues the country needs “big, structural change.”

Despite her liberalism, she has been criticized by some progressives for not fully embracing the “Medicare for All” healthcare plan that would eliminate private insurance in favor of a government-run plan. Some moderates, on the other hand, view her policies, which include a tax on the super-rich, as too extreme. Worryingly, Warren seems to be in favour of big-tech censorship despite initially calling them out, a policy issue which has cost her moderate and independent voters.

Even so, Warren contends that she is the best candidate to unite the party’s warring moderate and progressive factions.

PETE BUTTIGIEG

For a candidate who came into the race largely as a political unknown, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has shown staying power, pulling off a surprise, narrow win in Iowa and a close second in New Hampshire.

A Midwestern moderate and Navy veteran, Buttigieg has billed himself as the torchbearer of a new political generation, but ironically has engendered skepticism among young voters in the party, who view his political position as insufficiently left leaning.

Should he prevail in the Democratic race, he would be the first openly gay presidential nominee in U.S. history.

AMY KLOBUCHAR

The U.S. senator from Minnesota has built her campaign by presenting herself as a pragmatic alternative to the likes of Sanders and Warren and charming voters with a self-effacing sense of humor.

She focused much of her early campaign on winning the neighboring state of Iowa, where she finished fifth. She was able to capitalize on her momentum and placed third in New Hampshire, a result that has rocketed her campaign into the top tier of candidates.

TULSI GABBARD

The Samoan-American congresswoman from Hawaii, and Iraq war veteran, is the first Hindu to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and has centered her campaign on her anti-war stance.

Despite finishing Iowa and New Hampshire near the bottom of the heap, Gabbard has vowed to continue to campaign.

Gabbard, 38, has been engaged in a public feud with 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. She sued Clinton for defamation, seeking at least $50 million in damages for suggesting last year that one of the party’s White House contenders was a “Russian asset.”

Gabbard’s populist, anti-war approach has won her fans across party lines.

TOM STEYER

A billionaire environmentalist and force in Democratic fundraising over the past decade, Steyer, 62, is another candidate trying to leverage his personal fortune into public support but has been less successful than Bloomberg in that regard.

Steyer did surprise observers by qualifying for the January presidential debate in Iowa – and his money may allow him to stay in the race longer than other fringe candidates.

He finished near last in Iowa and New Hampshire, but has polled better in the Southern state of South Carolina and is remaining in the race hoping to rally support.

DONALD TRUMP

Trump is the clear favorite to win the Republican nomination, and there has been criticism among his opponents that party leadership has worked to make it impossible for a challenger. Still, the incumbent will face a rival on the ballot.

His campaign mounted a show of force in Iowa, where the incumbent won every caucus. In New Hampshire, Trump won 86% of the Republican vote.

Since his surprise win in the 2016 presidential election, Trump, 73, has become a ubiquitous political force, both through the controversies he generates and his prolific Twitter account.

Trump was impeached in the House in December for his request that Ukraine carry out investigations into Joe and Hunter Biden, but the U.S. Senate acquitted him of all charges on Feb. 5.

Trump is focusing his re-election message on the strong economy and the fall in unemployment across demographics, while continuing to deliver on campaign promises to curb illegal immigration and bolster US interests abroad. While Trump in 2016 ran on an anti-war stance, and has largely accomplished the goal of removing troops on the ground in the middle east, his actions over his term in office have seen him loose support amongst single-issue policy voters that oppose foreign military action.

SOURCE (REUTERS, AFP, POLITICO)