The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates, Ranked by Number of Votes Won in Their Latest Elections

Andrew McLaughlin
Nov 4 · 2 min read
2020 Democratic candidates onstage at televised debates.
2020 Democratic candidates onstage at televised debates.
Image: New York Times, June 28, 2019

Candidates actively running

Kamala Harris:
→ 5,265,653 [2016, US Senate, California] (latest and best)

Elizabeth Warren:
→ 1,633,371 [2018, US Senate, Massachusetts] (latest)
→ 1,696,346 [2012, US Senate, Massachusetts] (best)

Amy Klobuchar:
→ 1,566,174 [2018, US Senate, Minnesota] (latest)
→ 1,854,595 [2012, US Senate, Minnesota] (best)

Michael Bennet:
→ 1,370,710 [2016, US Senate, Colorado] (latest and best)

Cory Booker:
→ 1,043,866 [2014, US Senate, New Jersey] (latest and best)

Joe Sestak:
→ 513,221 [2016, US Senate, Pennsylvania, Democratic primary] (latest, loss)
→ 1,948,716 [2010, US Senate, Pennsylvania] (best, loss)

Joe Biden:
→ 257,484 [2008, US Senate, Delaware] (latest and best, as nominee)
→ 69,498,516 [2008, Presidential general] (best, as running mate)
→ 65,915,795 [2012, Presidential general] (latest, as running mate)

Steve Bullock:
→ 255,933 [2016, Governor, Montana] (latest and best)

John Delaney:
→ 185,770 [2016, US House, 6th District of Maryland] (latest and best)

Bernie Sanders:
→ 183,649 [2018, US Senate, Vermont] (latest)
→ 207,848 [2012, US Senate, Vermont] (best as nominee)
→ 13,206,428 [2016, Democratic Party presidential primaries] (best as candidate)

Tulsi Gabbard:
→ 153,271 [2018, US House, 2nd District of Hawai’i] (latest)
→ 170,829 [2016, US House, 2nd District of Hawai’i] (best)

Julian Castro:
→ 29,454 [2013, Mayor, San Antonio] (latest)
→ 42,745 [2009, Mayor, San Antonio] (best)

Marianne Williamson:
→ 14,335 [2014, US House, 33rd District of California, primary] (latest and best, loss)

Pete Buttigieg:
→ 8,515 [2015, Mayor, South Bend] (latest)
→ 633,243 [2010, Treasurer, Indiana] (best, loss)

Wayne Messam:
5,847 [2019, Mayor, Miramar] (latest and best)

Tom Steyer:
→ 0

Andrew Yang:
→ 0


Drop outs:

Kirsten Gillibrand
→ 4,056,931 [2018, US Senate, New York] (latest)
4,822,330 [2012, US Senate, New York] (best)

Beto O’Rourke
→ 4,045,632 [2018, US Senate, Texas] (latest and best, loss)

Jay Inslee
→ 1,760,520 [2016, Governor, Washington] (latest and best)

John Hickenlooper
→ 1,006,433 [2014, Governor, Colorado] (latest and best)

Bill de Blasio
→ 726,361 [2017, Mayor, New York City] (latest)
→ 795,679 [2013, Mayor, New York City] (best)

Seth Moulton
→ 217,703 [2018, US House, 6th District of Massachusetts] (latest)
→ 308,923 [2016, US House, 6th District of Massachusetts] (best)

Eric Swalwell
→ 177,989 [2018, US House, 15th District of California] (latest)
→ 198,578 [2018, US House, 15th District of California] (best)

Tim Ryan
→ 149,271 [2018, US House, 13th District of Ohio] (latest)
→ 227,076 [2012, US House, 13th District of Ohio] (best)

Richard Ojeda
→ 75,776 [2018, US House, 3rd District of West Virginia] (latest and best, loss)

Mike Gravel
→ 40,251 [2008, Democratic Presidential primaries] (latest, loss)
→ 54,361 [1974, US Senate, Alaska] (best)

Andrew McLaughlin

Written by

Partner/co-founder: Higher Ground Labs. Venture fellow: betaworks. Board: Access Now, Public Knowledge. Nerd, really. <http://andrew.mclaughl.in>

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