The Note: Bernie 2.0 puts 2020 field on notice

[Donkees]

Sen. Bernie Sanders has become a major presence in his second run for president.

By Rick Klein and Mary Alice Parks Apr 3, 2019 6:04 AM

Excerpt:

His $18 million fundraising haul and $28 million campaign war chest serves as a reminder that a man who changed the mechanics of the campaign money game last cycle remains a formidable presence. His donation average of $20 in the first quarter means he has an army of committed donors who can give again and again.

Numbers like these matter now more than ever. Democrats have made the number of contributors a criteria for qualifying for debates, and candidates who are swearing off big-dollar donors and PAC support make small-dollar donors outsized in importance.

Rivals have suggested that Sanders can't recapture the magic of 2016, after getting 43 percent of the total primary vote when there was virtually no other alternative to Hillary Clinton.

But consider what holding even half of that vote share into the primary season would mean in a race with 20-plus candidates. It's a crowded field, but it's hard to bet against Bernie as things move along.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/note-bernie-20-puts-2020-field-notice/