It appears increasingly likely that the 2020 Democratic primary field will be the most wide open in recent memory, and perhaps in the history of American politics.
The Daily Beast spoke with opposition researchers and operatives in both parties to get a sense of what could prove helpful and harmful for candidates. These are the individuals whose job it is to understand and exploit the vulnerabilities of those running for office. All of them cautioned that their perspectives were not the same as predictions. But they still had insights to share.
For the final installment, The Daily Beast focused on some of the likely outlier presidential candidates—those who don’t hail from Washington D.C., offer a different set of ideological priorities, and are known predominantly for the money they can use to self-fund. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, financier and environmental activist Tom Steyer, and Montana Governor Steve Bullock would all be long shots should they run. But they also each have a case to make—one that could, potentially provide an opening.