If the threat from Sanders isn’t neutralized by the Feb. 1 caucuses, allies of Hillary Clinton hope to finish off the liberal challenger on March 1, when 12 states hold contests on what’s commonly called Super Tuesday.
The ambitious schedule reflects growing confidence within Clinton’s team that 2016 will not be a repeat of 2008, when a liberal challenger named Barack Obama upset the then-New York senator in Iowa and started on a trajectory toward winning the Democratic nomination.
The political landscape is different this time around. While Clinton had a rough start earlier this year, dogged by months of negative headlines after it was unearthed that she used her personal email to conduct State Department business as secretary, she rebounded with strong debate performances and widely lauded testimony before the House Benghazi Committee.
Vice President Biden’s decision not to enter the presidential race also helped, strategists say.
“Everything is set up nicely,” said one longtime Democratic strategist who is in touch with the campaign. “There’s always post-traumatic stress disorder because of 2008, so we’re always a little cautious. We’re far from being on autopilot. But we’ve had a good couple of months and there’s been a lot of plateauing in our favor.
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