Sens. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-N.J.) and Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) are looking to capitalize on their Wednesday night debate performances.
The two candidates both earned strong reviews and are hoping they can somehow turn that into momentum for campaigns that have been overlooked by many voters so far.
Klobuchar is in fifth place in the RealClearPolitics polling average in Iowa, but with just 5.3 percent — well behind the race’s big four: South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE at 23.5 percent, Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) at 17.8 percent, Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) at 17 percent and former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE at 17 percent.
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Booker is even further back, with just a 1.8 percent average in Iowa. Nationally, Booker has just a 1.3 percent RealClearPolitics polling average, compared to Klobuchar’s 1.5 percent.
On Wednesday, Booker scored points when he talked about the black vote and later when he questioned Biden over whether he was “high” for his opposition to national marijuana legalization. In a statement that reflected the lack of attention he may feel his campaign has given, Booker, who rose to national prominence as mayor of Newark, N.J., noted to Buttigieg that he is the “other Rhodes scholar mayor” onstage.
Klobuchar had her own breakout moment when she talked about her electability. “If you think a woman can’t beat Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE, Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Pelosi: Georgia primary ‘disgrace’ could preview an election debacle in November MORE does it every day,” she said.
Throughout the campaign, both senators have tried to find an opening or a moment to catapult them to the upper tier of the campaign. But Biden and Buttigieg — who has recently surged in Iowa and New Hampshire polls — have largely occupied that space.
The big question looming over the senators’ campaigns on Thursday was how they could turn a strong debate performance into votes in Iowa or New Hampshire.
“Polls indicate that Democratic voters are still open to alternatives,” said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon, adding that both “still have a chance to get through an opening that gets smaller every day.”
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Democratic donors offering a postmortem of Wednesday night’s debate said the two at least did enough to keep their campaigns viable.
“They do pretty well on the debate stage but they have to try and translate that beyond these brief appearances,” one major donor said. “I think their performances allow both to keep going for a while and with all this uncertainty in the race, who knows?”
Basil Smikle, who served as the executive director of the New York State Democratic Party and as an aide to Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE, said Booker’s swipes at Biden “could help him get to the next debate stage if not a more substantial bump in the polls which has been elusive.”
Klobuchar, he said, “needed to reassert herself as the Midwestern moderate with a solid record in opposition to Buttigieg,” who has suddenly become a favorite in Iowa.
Klobuchar, a Minnesotan who has focused much of her campaign on the neighboring state of Iowa — came in 6th in a recent Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll in the Hawkeye State.
“She may have appealed to Iowa voters just enough last night to mitigate his rise there,” Smikle said.
While Klobuchar has focused much of her efforts on Iowa, coming off the strong debate performance, she will spend much of the weekend in New Hampshire, where she’ll make her 18th trip since the start of the campaign.
She’ll then return to Iowa next week and then travel to South Carolina after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Cal Jillson, a professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, agreed that Klobuchar “has shown well in spots throughout the debates.”
And while she has fallen from view in points during debates, Jillson said “her path into the second tier, if not the top tier, is clearer and she will certainly stay in the race through the early contests.”
Jillson argued that there is less of a clear path for Booker to get into the top tier in the race, partly because so far Booker has not been able to win a significant share of support from black voters in the polls.
“Without a base of black support to build off of, it is hard to see a broader coalition coming together around him,” he said. “Booker is likely to follow [candidate Julián] Castro out the door before the first votes are cast.”
Bannon agreed: “Booker gets positive reviews for his debate performances but he never seems to catch on.”
And while Klobuchar also performs well in debates, Bannon said she lacks a certain X factor with voters. He pointed to Klobuchar’s questioning of Brett KavanaughBrett Michael KavanaughGOP senators urge Trump to back off Murkowski threat Judd Gregg: A government in free fall The 7 most anticipated Supreme Court decisions MORE during his confirmation hearings earlier this year where she wasn’t able to garner the headlines of fellow candidate Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook McEnany says Juneteenth is a very ‘meaningful’ day to Trump MORE (D-Calif.).
“Klobuchar questioned the Supreme Court nominee very effectively but it was her colleague on the committee, Kamala Harris, who won the lion’s share of the media attention,” he said.
Bannon then took it a step further: “Her problem is Democrats want sizzle with their steaks and she is all steak with no sizzle.”
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