OPINION:
Joe Biden had a big night on Super Tuesday. Credit the Democratic establishment for stepping up to rescue his campaign after his win in South Carolina.
In what was one of the most impressive 72 hours of earned media, the Biden campaign, with major help from establishment Democrats, sent a clear message to “pragmatic voters” in the primaries. Their message: Democrats can win with Joe Biden and will lose with Bernie Sanders.
First, they helped orchestrate the withdrawals of former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Then, they got Democrats all over the country to raise concerns about down-ballot Democrats losing if Mr. Sanders was the nominee.
These moves, along with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg showing he could not debate his way out of a wet paper bag, helped to define the campaign as a two-person race between a traditional Democrat and a socialist who sympathizes with Communist dictators.
Months ago, I predicted Mr. Biden would win South Carolina. I held to that prediction even as his campaign slumped. In my mind, the high percentage of African-American voters in the primary for the Palmetto State would be the key to his victory.
After disappointing results in Iowa, New Hampshire and even Nevada, Mr. Biden’s campaign needed a boost. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn provided that in his home state of South Carolina. His full-throttled endorsement of the former vice president helped ensure a resounding victory last Saturday.
Mr. Biden’s campaign deserves some praise as well. It was no accident that Mr. Biden mentioned his plans to put the first black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. A less obvious move came when he criticized billionaire Tom Steyer during the same debate for previously investing in private prisons. Some polls had Mr. Steyer’s massive media buy eating into Mr. Biden’s margins in South Carolina. The attack helped stop that from happening on Election Day.
Once Mr. Biden proved he could deliver in South Carolina (despite having run for president three times, he had never won a state before last Saturday), the Democratic establishment got to work. African-American voters again helped Mr. Biden in several Southern states, but the establishment helped put him over the top.
In places like Arkansas, former Sens. Mark Pryor and David Pryor helped send that message with their support. Mr. Biden’s win there was remarkable considering the money Mr. Bloomberg spent on television ads there and complaints by state party leaders that he hadn’t been in Arkansas.
In Minnesota, Ms. Klobuchar’s endorsement clearly helped Mr. Biden secure the state. And a tactical error by the Sanders campaign helped Mr. Biden win Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s home state. Oddly, Mr. Sanders was in Massachusetts campaigning a week ago, presumably to beat Ms. Warren and end her campaign with hopes that the majority of her supporters would move to his campaign. Instead, they split the far, far, far left vote and Mr. Biden won the state with the more pragmatic voters.
All of this just days after many political commentators had written Joe Biden’s political obituary. If Mr. Biden wins the nomination, he has Mr. Sanders to thank.
Once the Democratic establishment realized Mr. Sanders was days away from securing the nomination, they jumped into action. They were scared. Their fear wasn’t based on pragmatism or principle. It was based on power.
The prospect of Mr. Sanders running against President Trump not only risked them losing the White House but the House — and elected positions all down the ballot.
For the first time in 20 years, state lawmakers elected during a presidential cycle will vote on boundaries for members of Congress. The redistricting process will determine the maps for the next decade. Democrats like former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder have been working for years to positively position Democrats in the redistricting process. Why? Power.
Politicians like Mr. Holder want to gerrymander Democrats into long-term control of the House of Representatives. To do that, they need control of the legislative process or at least split control that forces it to the courts they frequently control.
The Democratic establishment didn’t just engage to preserve a more electable Democrat for president. They did it to protect down-ballot candidates who will help them protect their congressional powers for the next decade.
Democratic leaders feel Mr. Sanders is another version of George McGovern. The liberal former South Dakota senator lost to President Nixon in one of the biggest blowouts in electoral history.
Unfortunately for them, their favored candidate just announced his intentions to raise taxes on the vast majority of Americans. That puts Mr. Biden in the category of another longtime senator and former vice president — Walter Mondale. That Minnesota liberal lost to President Reagan in the largest landslide in American history.
Our country certainly doesn’t need to elect a socialist as president, but we don’t need a liberal either. We need to reelect a conservative who will keep America great.
• Scott Walker was the 45th governor of Wisconsin. You can contact him at swalker@washingtontimes.com or follow him @ScottWalker.
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