Still breathless and worn out from 2016? Welp, it's time to catch your breath. In just a year, the presidential campaigns will be ramping back up. As a Democrat, I think it's critically important to actually take a step back and think about who should run for president, not just who will. This is my ideal list of 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates who I think would give President Trump a run for his money — or White House, rather.
1. Kamala Harris
Name recognition? No, not yet. Powerful, charismatic, and potential? Absolutely. Kamala Harris is a tough, strong-minded woman who cares about the issues that Democrats fight for, but is also someone you could kick back and drink a beer with. Hillary cracked the ceiling — Kamala can finally shatter it.
2. Tulsi Gabbard
I'll say it right now, Bernie-or-Busters, if you're scrolling through this looking for Bernie or Elizabeth Warren, you won't be finding them. I'll make my case against both of them later, but Tulsi Gabbard is a progressive I think we can all get behind. A war veteran, a respectable politician, and a surfer — what's not to love? Like Harris, Gabbard is someone who is able to connect with the Democratic base and would also be able to make inroads with blue collar families that Democrats have sorely left behind in recent years.
3. Sherrod Brown
Ohio Senator, but looks like your next-door neighbor. If Democrats so wish to nominate someone who comes from a Red or Rust Belt state, Brown should be the man. While he was in the running to become Hillary Clinton's VP running mate, here is a well-written article arguing why Brown and Harris should be on the 2020 ticket together.
4. Oprah Winfrey
Can't you just see a reprise of Drake and Josh where Josh Nichols faints over the election of his role model? Seriously though, if we're going to have a celebrity in the highest office of the land, let's at least have it be a respectable one.
I claim the right to add/remove people to this list over the next three years, but these are just a few of my early favorites.