Where Do They Call Home?
  2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates

The United States still has significant regional variations.  Where a candidate or potential candidate grew up and where he or she calls home affects his or her worldview and can affect voters' views as well.  These are two distinct but related questions.  The question of where a candidate calls home (where he or she is a resident of) is not always a straightforward matter.  2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney had homes in several states.  2008 candidate Mike Huckabee had just finished a term as governor of Arkansas and was clearly and Arkansan, but by the time of his 2016 run he had moved to Florida.  Looking at the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, candidates who hail from neighboring states are seen to have an at least theoretical advantage because they can relate to Iowans' concerns.  In addition to the question of where a candidate calls home, there is the question of where he or she is from, grew up and spent his or her formative years.  2016 and potential 2020 candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders represents Vermont, but one can still detect his Brooklyn accent.  One can recall the Texas twang of President George W. Bush or the Arkansas-isms of President Bill Clinton.  It is more than just accent; someone who grew up in the South will have different outlook than someone who grew up in the West, and similarly a rural, suburban or urban upbringing makes a difference.  Although Sen. Elizabeth Warren represents "liberal" Massachusetts, she points out in her Dec. 31 exploratory announcement that she grew up in Oklahoma.  Several past and potential candidates have highlighted their Iowa roots in an effort to connect with caucus voters.  In 2011 Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) announced her candidacy in Waterloo, where she was born (+), and potential 2020 candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has made sure Iowans know he was born in Sac City.  Whoever is selected as the nominee, the question of regions will inevitably arise during the vice presidential selection process when the matter of regional balance on the ticket is discussed.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
J.Biden (DE)*
 C.Booker (NJ)
 B.de Blasio (NY)
 J.Delaney (MD)
 K.Gillibrand (NY)
 S.Moulton (MA)
 D.Patrick (M)
 B.Sanders (VT)
 E.Warren (MA)

M.Williamson(NY)
 A.Yang (NY)


South
W.Messam (FL)
 R.Ojeda (WV)


Midwest
P.Buttigieg (IN)
 A.Klobuchar(MN)
 T.Ryan (OH)


Southwest
J.Castro (TX)
 B.O'Rourke (TX)


Rocky Mountains
M.Bennet (CO)
 S.Bullock (MT)
 J.Hickenlooper
(CO)

 
The West
T.Gabbard (HI) K.Harris (CA) J.Inslee (WA) E.Swalwell (CA)


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Not Running
A.Cuomo (NY)
D.Patrick (MA)

 M.O'Malley (MD)
 T.Steyer (CA) E.Garcetti (CA) E.Holder
 J.Merkley (OR) M.Bloomberg(NY) S.Brown (OH)
 T.McAuliffe (VA)
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