He's one of my senators, and until recently no one outside the state, and many inside of it, was even aware that he existed. Now you see him on TV everywhere. He's obviously positioning himself to run.

He's too mainstream for my taste — give me a Bernie or an AOC — but I suppose we could do worse. He does seem to have moved a teeny bit farther to the left since I and many others began calling his office in the past few months.

for a 'middle of the road' nation?

and that was on Fox!

I couldn't get the graphic to copy, but here's a link to a reddit post with it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MurderedByWords/comments/1mc6ktz/youre_the_best_marketing_socialism_ever_had/

As we used to say back in the '60s, "The times they are a-changin'."

but if only 42% of them turn out to vote (I believe that was the number for 18-29 in 2024), then their influence is muted.

Plus, the way those 42% voted doesn't point to them having a favorable view of socialism. Granted, neither 2024 candidate was a socialist, but I wouldn't think that someone who has a favorable view towards socialism would vote for Trump, and yet lots of Gen Z did vote for him.

You will not find a more effective or ethical leader.

He deserves your vote, IMO.

I would absolutely vote for him.

He'll try to reset the calendar back to January 19, 2025. Too much of "that's not how things are done" and "let's all come together now".

That's not where the base is at. Treat the defeated like the defeated, citizen lead tribunals, leverage Gitmo, undo the Compromise of 1877 . . .

We aren't going back to that.

He is also originally from New Jersey, and on good terms with Corey Booker. If he runs, I think he’ll veer slightly to the left, and he’ll have a vast wealth of competent, realistic professionals from all ends of the spectrum to lean on. Mark and Gabby are many-time Renaissance Weekend attendees, and they know many top Democratic experts in many fields from there alone. I haven’t talked with him personally since January, and he never mentioned it, but the political landscape has shifted dramatically since then.

As has been mentioned, Mark is no Sanders or AOC, and thank goodness he’s not. If he were, Republican Martha McSally would be the senior senator from Arizona.

Mark is no longer young, not a male model type, nor does he have a captivating Obama-style speaking style, but if he really wants the job, he could assemble a campaign staff that could shape his assets into a credible campaign (a very sharp VP would help, Pete B, e.g.).

Frankly, based on what I know of him, my guess is that he doesn’t go for it, but again, it is a VERY different political landscape from what it was in January, and I haven’t talked to him since then. If he does decide to run, he will do so as a serious contender. One prediction if he does run—Republican Trumpanzees will make fun of Gabby’s handicap, and the backlash from women will be furious.

His moderate credentials might be right for the current electorate. My guess he that he would pivot a bit after the election.

...from the Senate. He and Hogg are people who can help those who cling to their guns see the reasons for limiting those destructive "rights".

It's 3-plus years from now. No one's declared.

Plenty of time to decide AFTER the 2026 Midterms.

while I love Bernie and AOC, I recognize that much of the nation just isn't ready for them. They're more effective where they are, although I can see AOC in the Senate very soon.

Who's not actually that much of a moderate where it really counts.