The 2020 presidential election may seem far on the horizon, but with the first caucus only months away, the campaign trail is beginning to heat up. Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

Who is Running for the Republican Nomination?

With President Trump polling +85 in the Republican primary, internal GOP efforts to challenge him do not seem to be posing a formidable threat.1 But even without a strong primary challenger, this election won't necessarily be smooth sailing for President Trump. On September 24, 2019, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that the House of Representatives will conduct an impeachment inquiry, the first step of the impeachment process. Renewed calls for impeachment from Democrats followed news reports of a whistleblower alleging misconduct between Trump and the President of Ukraine during a July 25, 2019 phone call.

While a growing numbers of voters (including Republicans) favor the impeachment investigation and removal of the President from office, a large majority of Republicans still oppose impeachment. That would likely need to change for the Senate to vote to remove him from office. Meanwhile, on the campaign trail, the top five Democratic contenders have all announced their support for the impeachment of President Trump.

Who is(n't) Running for the Democratic Nomination?

Initially, more than 25 Democrats had thrown their hats in the ring. As campaigns have begun to take off, however, top candidates are quickly emerging from the pack. While Former Vice President Joe Biden had been maintaining a lead in the polls, Elizabeth Warren has been gaining steadily since the spring and surpassed Biden in October 2019. Warren has put forward many comprehensive policy plans that have impressed primary voters and moved many other candidates toward her positions on issues. Right now, she seems to be convincing Democrats she is right not only on policy but also on politics. Senator Bernie Sanders rates a solid third in the polls, but his October heart attack raises questions about his ability to continue to run a fullfledged campaign and serve as President. Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Kamala Harris follow, but both are significantly behind the top three candidates in the polls at this point

Footnotes

1. 2020 - Latest 2020 GOP Presidential Primary Polls, RealClearPolitics, https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/republican_nomination_polls/ (last visited October 9, 2019).

2. 2020 Democratic Presidential Nomination, Real Clear Politics, https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html (last accessed October 9, 2019)

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Originally Published by Sigma's Independent Gasoline Marketing magazine.

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