It’s been a long time since someone said “never” in politics. On Tuesday night, Bernie Sanders said “never” again, and Hillary Clinton said “never” one more time, to much audience applause. That was the end of another primary campaign. It was a bruising battle with lots of punches but no blood spilled. Bernie Sanders won the Michigan primary by a landslide, which will no doubt delight his supporters and demoralize the already depressed members of the Democratic Party. Let’s take a moment to consider just how unlikely this whole charade was and what it means for the future of the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party Is Officially Over
If you’re a Democrat, it’s hard to feel confident about a lot of things right now. Your party probably did the unthinkable and actually nominated a candidate that no one thought they’d actually nominate. Despite the media’s best efforts to depict a nasty Republican primary, it was an even bloodier fight than usual for the Democratic nomination. For the first time in the modern primary era, the party was civil and even friendly toward one another. That’s a big deal and a testament to just how nasty that whole Republican primary race was. And it’s not like the Democrats were without their problems – it’s been a tumultuous year for the party and some of its top stars were conspicuously absent from the process (namely, former candidate and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton). But the fact remains that the Democratic Party went through an extremely grueling primary process – more so than usual – and it ended up saving the day for the cause of political correctness and the fight for equality. That’s a good thing.
Why Aren’t The Nomadic Republicans Happy?
If you voted for anyone other than Bernie Sanders in the primary, congratulations! You most likely contributed to the demise of the Republican Party in Michigan. But it’s not just that – it was a complete repudiation of the Republican Party in general. In what was supposed to be a Republican stronghold, the Democrats smashed through with a massive win, taking all the available seats in the state government. In an astounding display of force, the Democrats elected a Congresswoman who had never held public office and a Senator who was previously unknown to most Michigan voters. It was a complete rout. The only good news for Republicans is that they still held onto their majorities in the House of Representatives and the state Senate. And they still control both houses of the state legislature. But it’s not like the Republicans were ever in real danger of losing either one – this was a bloodbath for the Democrats. Even President Trump couldn’t hold them back. This was an inflection point for the Democrats and a repudiation of the GOP brand.
What Does It Mean For Clinton And The Democratic Party?
If you’re a Hillary Clinton supporter, this is pretty devastating news. And it doesn’t exactly bode well for her political future. After Tuesday’s primary, a lot of people were left wondering if she’d even run for president in 2020 – the last thing she needs right now is another grueling campaign. But maybe she’ll decide to run anyway, perhaps seeing this unexpected turn of events as a sign that she can actually win the White House. A lot of people credit her with being the “golden girl” of American politics, having run for office so many times and been involved in so many scandals that it was hard to keep track. But this primary proved that she’s still quite the force to be reckoned with, even if she is running for the Democratic nomination. People forget that she actually won the popular vote by a decent margin (though not by enough to beat Mr. Trump). Whether she decides to run for president in 2020 or not, Hillary Clinton will always be a controversial figure and someone who deserves a lot of credit for having stayed so relevant in politics.
What About The Future Of The Democratic Party?
After Tuesday’s primary, many people were left wondering if the Democratic Party had lost its way. There were so many candidates that it was hard to keep track of, and it wasn’t clear that the party had picked a clear-cut front-runner. Now that we know who the nominee will be, the party’s future is looking a bit more hopeful. The Democratic platform this year was absolutely extreme – in favor of radical change and leftist policies – and a lot of people, myself included, don’t feel like that’s the way to go about gaining back the White House. There were many memorable and polarizing moments this year, but Tuesday night’s primary proved that the Democratic Party still has a lot to offer. The question now is, can the party learn from its mistakes and pull itself together? The answer, unfortunately, is probably not. Like the Nixonian saying goes: “all politics is local,” and that certainly applies to the American political system today. If you want to keep your job, you probably shouldn’t have voted for Hillary Clinton in the primary – there were plenty of Republicans out there who would have been glad to have your position, and perhaps even your job.