PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 26: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) delivers remarks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 26, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received the number of votes needed to secure the party’s nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Philadelphia, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Democratic National Convention kicked off July 25. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
7. Amy Klobuchar
Unlike others on this list, Senator Amy Klobuchar has already said that she would consider running for president, or at least governor of Minnesota. She has the record, the experience, and the approval ratings to accomplish either. Her accomplishments have earned her a reputation as a workhorse in the Senate, and her job performance has won over the majority of her constituency. In fact, she’s got the some of the highest approval ratings of any member of the Senate.
Although there hasn’t been much criticism of Klobuchar’s work, what little there is seems to be related to her aggressiveness or lack thereof. She has a reputation for being fairly non-confrontational which has improved her ability to work with Republicans. Klobuchar tends to focus on foundational issues rather than sensational ones. The bottom line is that she’s not one to take risks and chooses the less controversial path. When it comes to partisanship, she’s definitely on the moderate end of being a Democrat.
However, considering the combustibility of the current political scene, someone as mild-mannered as Klobuchar may be just what the Democratic Party needs. With so much division between the two parties, Senator Klobuchar could take on a peacemaker role and bring Congress into more of a bipartisan playing field. She doesn’t have a cloud of scandals hanging over her head nor does she evoke the sort of vitriol that Hillary Clinton did. A Klobuchar candidacy could ease America into the idea of a woman president in a way that Clinton couldn’t do.