Politics

‘Not enough staffers to go around’ – Democrats face talent shortage for 2020 campaigns

As more Democratic presidential hopefuls inch closer to entering the 2020 contest, many are running into an early roadblock: There aren’t enough staffers for everyone.

In the critical early voting states, there are a limited number of high-level operatives with presidential campaign experience available to the upwards of two dozen potential candidates. And with no clear frontrunner, plus several big names whose intentions remain unclear, some staffers are hesitant to sign on to a campaign right away.

“There are not enough staffers to go around,” said Jerry Crawford, a veteran of several Democratic presidential campaigns in Iowa. “It’s a reflection that a lot of candidates won’t have the resources to be competitive.”

In Iowa, Elizabeth Warren, who announced her presidential exploratory committee on New Year’s Eve, hired four well-regarded operatives in the state, including Hillary Clinton’s 2016 state director and Bernie Sanders’ 2016 caucus director.