Election 2020: 3 Bay State politicians in race for the White House

BOSTON — With 19 candidates, the road to the White House on the Democratic side is a traffic jam.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warran, who announced her run months ago, is now joined by Congressman Seth Moulton. Two sitting Massachusetts Congressmen, competing against each other for the Democratic nomination.

"Well, this is kind of unprecedented," said Boston University Political Science professor and presidential historian Thomas Walen.

Walen says he believes Moulton and Warren are likely to face challenges as they try to leverage their popularity in New England with voters across the country.

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"Any candidate from Massachusetts who is going to win the nomination is going to have to face the label of being a Massachusetts liberal, and that might work in the coastal states, the east coast, the west coast... but it's not going to work in America's heartland," said Walen.

Traditionally, Massachusetts presidential candidates enjoyed home-field advantage for the New Hampshire Primary, but this time out, with delegate-rich primaries scheduled close to New Hampshire, Whalen thinks that advantage may be short-lived.

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"I think Massachusetts candidates are really handicapped, that NH no longer has that importance. I think moving forward it's going to get less important for winning the nomination on the Democratic - or even Republican side.

And on the Republican side, former Massachusetts Governor William Weld already in the race, giving President Donald Trump a primary, but if the past predicts the future, Weld may have problems similar to those the Democrats may face.

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