In New Hampshire, 2020 Dems Urge Voters To Not Play It Safe

Elizabeth Warren NH Convention

Sen. Elizabeth Warren at the New Hampshire Democrats' state convention. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

By Hunter Woodall and Julie Pace, Associated Press

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Several Democratic presidential candidates urged voters in New Hampshire on Saturday to not play it safe in the 2020 election, leveling an implicit critique of front-runner Joe Biden.

Biden has centered his campaign on his years of experience in Washington and a perceived ability to steal the support of white, working-class voters away from President Donald Trump. Speaking at the New Hampshire Democrats' state convention, Biden's rivals told voters to aim for more.

"There is a lot at stake and people are scared. But we can't choose a candidate we don't believe in because we're scared," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who drew a raucous reception. "And we can't ask other people to vote for someone we don't believe in."




Saturday's convention kicked off a critical stretch of the campaign in New Hampshire, which in February will hold the nation's first primary. Nineteen candidates descended on the state to rally voters and flex their campaign's organizational strength in front of New Hampshire's political power brokers, most of whom are still up for grabs.

Supporters for major candidates arrived outside the arena in Manchester before dawn to hang signs and stake out prime locations to greet the convention's hundreds of attendees. Warren's crowd of supporters stretched deep and erupted in cheers as the senator arrived to greet them. Rival campaigns grumbled privately that Warren, who represents neighboring Massachusetts, was benefiting from home-field advantage.



Biden was the first candidate to speak and focused his remarks on Trump, saying the president has "unleashed the deepest, darkest forces in this nation." He added: "We cannot, and I will not, let this man be reelected president of the United States of America."

Former Housing Secretary Julian Castro said that if Democrats want to ensure Trump is defeated, "we can't do the same old thing."

"We're not going to win by just trying to be safe," Castro said.


"Beating Donald Trump is the floor, it's not the ceiling," Booker said.


Since 1976, the year Democrat Jimmy Carter won the state's primary, no competitive New Hampshire Democratic primary winners have gone on to capture both the party nomination and the presidency.



Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content