If neither Sanders nor Warren ran, who would’ve come in 2nd in the Democratic primaries?

[darklordoftech]

?

[TDAS04]

I would guess Buttigieg, but I don’t know.  Possibly Klobuchar, possibly someone else.

[Mr. Smith]

Buttigieg.

[patzer]

Pete or Beto (more likely Pete) sweeps the progressive lane and wins the nomination, Biden is 2nd

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Biden

[Sir Mohamed]

Are we sure there wouldn't just be another candidate filling the progressive lane?

[dw93]

Pete sticks to his pre Presidential run Progressive platform and consolidates the progressive vote. That said, Biden still wins the nomination due to Pete's lack of minority support.

[darklordoftech]

Pete sticks to his pre Presidential run Progressive platform and consolidates the progressive vote. That said, Biden still wins the nomination due to Pete's lack of minority support.

Would Biden supporters complain about “Buttigieg Bros”?

[dw93]

Pete sticks to his pre Presidential run Progressive platform and consolidates the progressive vote. That said, Biden still wins the nomination due to Pete's lack of minority support.

Would Biden supporters complain about “Buttigieg Bros”?

Doubtful as I doubt Buttigieg would do as well as Bernie did in 2016 as Biden isn't/wasn't as hated as Hillary.

[Schiff for Senate]

Buttigieg

[Agonized-Statism]

Assuming no one else jumps in (and Sherrod Brown doesn't without Democrat control of the Senate and Ohio governorship after 2018), Buttigieg makes overtures to progressive voters and they either go to him or stay home once it's clear that it's a head-to-head race. Biden does worse with their vote not being split (see the plurality in Massachusetts), but pulls it off with more endorsements, a more committed base (Sanders would be better able to harness the Mexican-American revolt in New Mexico for instance), and "muh electability" shrieking. Imagining something like this, with things only clearly going Biden's way around June.

[Mr. Smith]

Pete sticks to his pre Presidential run Progressive platform and consolidates the progressive vote. That said, Biden still wins the nomination due to Pete's lack of minority support.

Would Biden supporters complain about “Buttigieg Bros”?

Yes.

[Dr. MB]

Mike Gravel

[Dr. MB]

Buttigieg

It would've been Mike Gravel.

[Dr. MB]

Are we sure there wouldn't just be another candidate filling the progressive lane?

Mike Gravel suits that lane

[Schiff for Senate]

Buttigieg

It would've been Mike Gravel.

Do you realize how old Gravel was? Sanders and Biden are both way too old, but Gravel was much older than even them - he turned 90 in 2020. I doubt he'd be able to run a good campaign or do very much at all, quite frankly, and I doubt many voters would spring for him (he also last held office in January 1981). In real life he quit after four months, and for someone his age, that's understandable.

Another progressive candidate might take the mantle from Sanders and Warren (and as other said, Buttigieg could possibly retain his progressivism to be that candidate), and though it might not be Buttigieg, it most certainly would not be Mike Gravel. Not that I have anything against Gravel, but his 2020 bid was quixotic to say the least and the longest of long shots.

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Buttigieg

It would've been Mike Gravel.

Do you realize how old Gravel was? Sanders and Biden are both way too old, but Gravel was much older than even them - he turned 90 in 2020. I doubt he'd be able to run a good campaign or do very much at all, quite frankly, and I doubt many voters would spring for him (he also last held office in January 1981). In real life he quit after four months, and for someone his age, that's understandable.

Another progressive candidate might take the mantle from Sanders and Warren (and as other said, Buttigieg could possibly retain his progressivism to be that candidate), and though it might not be Buttigieg, it most certainly would not be Mike Gravel. Not that I have anything against Gravel, but his 2020 bid was quixotic to say the least and the longest of long shots.

Gravel was also not interested in actually winning; he just wanted to be part of the debates, and admitted that such was his reason for running too.

As for the topic in question, someone who chose not to run in real life would come in 2nd.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Another progressive who didn't run OTL but would ITTL

[Pres Mike]

Who ever the main progressive is. But I suspect without either Sanders or Warren Biden wins the first four states and cruises to the nomination ever sooner.