Over the course of this election cycle so far, 25 major presidential candidates — by FiveThirtyEight’s definition — have entered the race for the Democratic nomination. That gobsmacking number sparked criticism that there were perverse incentives to run for president even if a candidate plainly had no shot at winning — namely, that the exposure from a national run would help them sell books or land them a cable-news gig. But as 2019 has worn on, it’s become clear that running for president to raise one’s national profile isn’t without its risks. Some candidates have suffered adverse effects from their presidential runs: It’s hurt their political standing back home. CONT.
Nathaniel Rakich, FiveThirtyEight