The two candidates who have created the most energy in politics during 2016 are both on the verge of being shut out at their conventions.
Donald Trump’s lead has grown in recent days, but unless he nearly sweeps California and Indiana, he will still likely come short of the 1237 delegates he will need on the first ballot. On the second ballot, Sen. Ted Cruz’s delegate strategy looks tight enough to win the nomination. If that scenario plays out, millions of Trump supporters will be furious.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has been beaten both in the popular vote and with delegates, but he has won many contests he wasn’t expected to win, with supporters who are more passionate than any other candidate’s following. While the media has been concerned about riots at the RNC, the DNC may actually be more at risk because of these fired up young activists. Unless Sanders and Hillary Clinton can find a way to mend their relationship, polls show 25 percent of Sanders supporters — millions and millions of voters — won’t show up for Clinton in November.
But, what if the two independent-leaning candidates got together and formed a ticket? Before you say it’s crazy, consider the major policy issues where Trump and Sanders agree:
-Trade: They both hate NAFTA, the TPP, and the PNTR with China. They both believe free trade causes American job losses. Their rhetoric and positions on trade are mirror images. Trump said about Sanders, “We both agree that we’re getting ripped off by China, by Japan, by Mexico, by everybody we do business with.” On NAFTA, Trump called it “a disaster.” Sanders said it ” has displaced a large number of jobs in the United States and is a significant contributor to the current crisis in U.S. manufacturing.” Countless media outlets lump their trade policies together already, with headlines like “Trump and Sanders’ Common Cause,” so this is a natural pairing.
-Foreign policy: They are both non-interventionists who think the war in Iraq was a mistake. Trump has said the war was “one of the worst decisions in the history of the country.” Sanders has said, “on the most important issue of our time, I was right, Hillary Clinton was wrong.” While Trump has a tougher appearance than Sanders, on policy, if you go region-to-region, they are more similar than any two candidates who ran in 2016.
-Taxing the wealthy: Everyone knows Sanders has said, “the wealthiest and large corporations will pay when I’m president,” but Trump’s rhetoric is nearly the same. He’s said he wants to “raise taxes on rich people like me,” and “the hedge fund people make a lot of money and they pay very little tax.” While Trump’s latest plan doesn’t back up those statements, his plan is clearly geared toward winning the GOP primary, not his core beliefs.
-Government paying for college: We all know about Sanders’ free college plan, but Trump has also said, “Well the only way you can do it (make college affordable) is you have to start some governmental program and you have governmental programs right now.”
-Protecting entitlement programs: Trump said, “You know, Paul (Ryan) wants to knock out Social Security, knock it down, way down. He wants to knock Medicare way down… I’m not going to cut it, and I’m not going to raise ages.” Sanders has said, “the chained CPI that Congressman Ryan supports is nothing less than a massive cut in benefits for Social Security.”
These five areas are major areas of agreement, and there are more. On the issues, they have more unity than separation; if they combine their efforts, it could be unstoppable. They could easily have a united populist platform that would energize more voters than any independent run in history.
Some have raised questions about the logistics of qualifying for the ballot, but many third parties already have qualified in 50 states and could make this ticket their nominee. Many will have their conventions after the RNC and DNC.
But, would they really have a chance in November?
Electorally, they also balance each other out. Sanders is strong where Trump is weak: millennials and women. Trump is strong where Sanders is weak: older, white people. They would dominate the Midwest, compete in the South, and win the upper northeast. The electoral map would be wild.
Their combined bases would be huge — or “yuge” as they both say.
Trump was never a Republican until he starting thinking about running for president. Sanders was an independent until he launched his campaign. Neither have loyalties to either political party or to the establishment. As we’ve seen this election, the crazy is never impossible, and this crazy idea almost makes too much sense.
