March / April Straw Poll @ Daily Kos

Over at Daily Kos the March / April Straw Poll reads as such:

[as of 4:02 pm, 3.20.2006]

How do you currently prefer for 2008?

Vilsack ........................ 9 votes - 0 %
Daschle ....................... 12 votes - 0 %
Bayh ........................... 26 votes - 1 %
Kerry .......................... 35 votes - 1 %
Biden .......................... 41 votes - 1 %
Other ......................... 48 votes - 2 %
H. Clinton .................... 49 votes - 2 %
Richardson ................... 52 votes - 2 %
No frickin' clue ............... 85 votes - 3 %
Edwards ...................... 142 votes - 6 %
Warner ....................... 299 votes - 13 %
Clark .......................... 332 votes - 14 %
Feingold ..................... 1161 votes - 50 %

Votes: 2156

I'm sure if you check the link now, the numbers are slightly different. There's probably some changes in rank among the also rans. For my purposes, these numbers should be fine. It should be noted the choices were limited to candidates that have expressed interest in running.

First, there are really only four candidates with any real support. The most notable absense is Hillary Clinton, who is stuck with the also rans with Biden and 'other.' While the media may annoint her and pronounce her the leading candidate, the netroots (and I would argue all those salivating for a candidate from the left) don't like her. Her movement to the center is to blame. A lot of people in the netroots also understand that she has a very strong negative numbers among Republicans.

John Edwards, currently out of government, is running on his 'Two Americas' theme and has some support. I can't really get past the fact that he looks like he's so young. And not in a JFK sort of way. He doesn't have much experience, especially in foreign affairs which one would expect to be a theme for 2008. He's still enjoying support left over from his 2004 VP campaign. Unless he does something to get a spike of notoriety, he'll fall away early.

Mark Warner, ex-Governor of Virginia, has approximately twice the votes Edwards does. Warner was a reasonbly liberal and well like governer of a Red State. His presidential campaign is based on his ability to connect with rural voters and appeal to Red Staters. Conventional wisdom dictates that a Southern Governor is the way to go for Democratic Presidential candidates. It's not a bad option. We'll find out as we learn more about Mr. Warner.

Gen. Wesley Clark, ret. pulls into second. He's been the default Democratic choice since he floundered in the primaries in 2004. Clark, who before 2004 had no political experience, has one major advantage: it would be difficult for Republicans to paint him weak on national defense. My feelings on Clark is that he's a place holder candidate. He is the default 'most likely to win' candidate that I support until a better candidate came along. I would be hugely supportive of a ticket that had Clark as VP.

This brings us the the resounding winner, Russ Feingold who trounced his closest opponents by 36%. Feingold declared that he will be running for President from the left by introducing his censure resolution. In a Democratic Party decryed as weak and ineffectual by many in the netroots, this sort of political bravery will always be reported. Feingold is the new Dean. Russ will remain the netroots favorite for the forseeable future.

Of course we have to get through 2006 successfully before any of this means anything.

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