Regardless of how you feel about former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, his announcement last week that he’s running for president is good. His participation widens the discussion of issues and provides voters with additional opportunities to compare and contrast ideals embraced by other candidates in the field.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been the front-runner on the Democratic side for more than a year, and she just announced formally last month that she is running. Other Democrats considering a run, including Vice President Joe Biden, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia, haven’t gotten much publicity. Neither has Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has announced his candidacy. O’Malley will face similar difficulties in what many consider a long-shot campaign.
But O’Malley is already trying to position himself as the Clinton alternative. In announcing his candidacy, O’Malley said, “The presidency is not a crown to be passed back and forth by you between royal families,” a jab at both Clinton and Republican contender Jeb Bush.
Bush faces considerable competition on the Republican side. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and others have either already announced they are running or are expected to announce soon that they are.
And while there are complaints from the Republicans’ side that candidates all sound alike in what they say they stand for or oppose as they vie for support from various special interests, having that many people in the field guarantees some degree of disagreement on the major issues and how we should handle them.
A look back at the Republican debates before the 2012 presidential election demonstrates how the candidates can rise and fall based on what they say or don’t say, and how they handle themselves when faced with tough questions.
That same type of discussion is needed among the Democratic Party candidates.
Clinton holds the top position among potential Democratic voters in all polls by a wide margin, but O’Malley is right when he says she should not win the nomination by default. Clinton was a top candidate in 2008 too, until she was upstaged by a freshman senator from Illinois who went on to win the nomination, and the presidency.
O’Malley may not be as well-known nationally as Clinton, and he may not be as well-liked as he would hope, even in his home state. Remember, voters rejected Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown in the gubernatorial race and gave the win to Republican Larry Hogan. But O’Malley’s entry into the race does provide added perspective and viewpoints that Clinton or any other candidate will have to address at some point in the campaign.
More conversations, deeper discussions and additional perspectives are always a good thing when you are looking for the best solutions. For that reason, whether he wins or not, having O’Malley in the race is a positive thing.
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