The 2016 Primary may end up looking a lot like the 2000 primary.
In which Gore began with a large lead as the frontrunner and many of the top contenders declining to run with the exception of Bill Bradley:
The apparent front runner and party establishment candidate Vice President Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee only faced one candidate in the primaries: U.S. Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey. The two campaigned to succeed the 1992 and 1996 nominee, President Bill Clinton. During the course of the five-month primary season, Gore had managed to win every single primary contest over his rival, and was easily declared the party's nominee for the 2000 Election.
Serious early speculation surrounded Bill Bradley, a U.S. Senator and former basketball player for the New York Knicks, who had long been considered a potential Democratic contender for the presidency. In December 1998, Bradley formed a presidential exploratory committee and began organizing a campaign.[2] Gore, however, had been considered the favorite for the Democratic nomination as early as 1997, with the commencement of President Bill Clinton’s second term.[3] Though numerous candidates for the Democratic nomination tested the waters, including Senator John Kerry, Governor Howard Dean,[4] Representative Richard Gephardt, and Reverend Jesse Jackson, only Gore and Bradley ultimately entered the contest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2000
Frankly, I hope Hillary does have at least one serious contender as a lack of a serious party debate would
be damaging for democrats.:
The challenging debates between Obama and Clinton in 2007 and 2008 made them both better candidates, according to several top Democratic officials. Many Democrats feel that Clinton, whose presidential bid began eight years ago, could use the practice to sharpen her skills ahead of the general election. Holding no debates would be a public relations challenge for the Democratic Party, too. They're media events, and they help bring visibility to the party's eventual nominee. Without debates, Republicans would get all the highly publicized, televised face-offs to themselves.
"Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (as well as Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, John Edwards, and more) had at least two dozen debates in 2008. From that clash, Barack Obama emerged stronger, tougher, smarter— and the Democratic Party quickly united around him," longtime Democratic strategist and Clinton ally Paul Begala said in an e-mail.
"So while I am for Hillary, big-time … I think some good, challenging debates would be good for her and good for the party," he said.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/twenty-sixteen/democrats-facing-2016-debate-dilemma-20150129
= new reply since forum marked as read
