You're probably not paying a ton of attention to the 2020 Democratic primary yet, and we can't blame you: It's June 2019. You want to live a little. Maybe hang out on a boat somewhere, or drink one of those fishbowl margaritas with the Corona bottles turned upside-down.
But unless you're living under a rock the size of Donald Trump's ego, you likely know that out of the whopping 24 Democrats in the 2020 race (question: Why do they have to be so extra?) there are six women, which is more women running for president than ever in history. And that, of course, means you have no excuse to vote for a crusty old white man. (Nope. None. Sorry. Don't @ us.) Let's face it, after 45 dudes/duds, it's about time to try something new.
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Because all of the women in the race are very different — their policies, personalities, pets, you name it — we've decided to put together a handy cheat sheet to help you decide which one you should vote for. We already ushered in the most diverse Congress in history in 2018 — who is to say we can't elect a female president in 2020? After all, a woman already beat Trump in 2016, but, you know, details.
Ahead, we outline (in alphabetical order) all the women running in 2020 and what you should know about them.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: The Army Vet
What she's known for: At 38, Gabbard is the only millennial and the youngest woman in the race (although technically, if we're gonna nitpick, she's really more of one of those elusive Xennials). She's an army vet who was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait, and she has since spoken out for sexual assault survivors in the military. Her platform centers on military-nonintervention, and she has spoken out strongly on the need to address climate change.
Critics say: Gabbard's controversies include her secret meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, her past anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, (she's apologized and has since advocated for LGBTQ+ equality), and the fact that she seems to be a favorite of online trolls.
Fun fact: She hails from the Aloha State and loves to surf.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: The Feminist
What she's known for: Gillibrand is running the most woman-centric campaign on a platform that includes the Family Bill of Rights, a wide-ranging proposal tackling maternal and child health, affordable child care, and more. In the Senate, she put issues such as sexual assault in the military and paid family leave on the legislative map. Since Trump was elected, she's emerged as one of his most vocal critics and has voted against more of his cabinet nominees than any of the other candidates. She led the call for the ouster of former senator Al Franken, who was accused of sexual harassment.
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Critics say: She's reversed her past views on guns (she used to have an A rating from the NRA) and immigration (she used to be more hardline) since serving as the representative of a conservative, rural district in New York state.
Fun fact: Early-morning workout classes are the fuel that keeps her going on the campaign trail.
Sen. Kamala Harris: The Prosecutor
What she's known for: Harris is running on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All, reforming cash bail, relieving the cost of living for middle-class families through the LIFT Act, and combating the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women. In the Senate, she has eviscerated Trump stooges such as Attorney General William Barr and Justice Brett Kavanaugh with her incisive questioning. Harris is only the second Black female senator (the first was Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois), and would be not only the first female president, but the first Black female president and the first president of South Asian descent (she is mixed-race).
Critics say: The former California attorney general has been criticized for being tough on crime during her career as a prosecutor.
Fun fact: Her favorite hobby is reading recipes.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: The Senator Next Door
What she's known for: Klobuchar has a reputation in Congress as a moderate Democrat who has positioned herself as a pragmatist and reaches across the aisle to get things done. Since making her presidential bid, Klobuchar has announced an optimistic infrastructure plan and a $100 billion proposal to combat the opioid crisis.
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Critics say: She's...not the easiest boss to work for (a certain salad-comb incident comes to mind), which she has framed as being "tough."
Fun fact: She announced her campaign on a snowy, freezing Minnesota afternoon.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: The Policy Wonk
What she's known for: One of the most recognizable politicians in the race, Warren has been churning out progressive policy proposals like clockwork, making her unofficial campaign slogan, “I have a plan for that.” She really does: Warren has put forth proposals to cancel student loan debt, offer universal child care, reduce Black maternal mortality, tax millionaires, make public college free, address the opioid crisis, and on and on...
Critics say: Many called her decision to take a DNA test to prove she has Indigenous ancestry in response to Trump's repeated use of the slur "Pocahontas" a major blunder, and she has since apologized.
Fun fact: She makes sure to pose for a selfie with every voter who comes her way.
Marianne Williamson: The Guru
What she's known for: Williamson is an author, activist, and Oprah’s spiritual advisor, and previously ran unsuccessfully to represent California's 33rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives (as an Independent). She is running on a message of love and wants to establish a U.S. Department of Peace.
Critics say: Are Americans ready to accept a message of love? Uh, doubtful.
Fun fact: She's referred to herself as a "bitch for God."
We will update this story as more information becomes available.
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