2020 Democrats Are Bringing Butter Knives to a Gunfight

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—Heading into tonight’s Iowa caucus, the clock may be ticking faster on the Democratic presidential candidates than they believe.

All of the leading contenders have campaigned energetically and extensively across the state during the past few days, but none have moved to sharply contrast themselves with their rivals.

None of the candidates has offered a sustained challenge to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has surged to the lead in most Iowa polls and delivered an impressive show of strength on Saturday night with a raucous rally here that attracted some 3,000 people. Nor has former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg or Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota delivered much of an argument against former Vice President Joe Biden, though he leads them in the competition for moderate voters. “I think this is a pillow fight compared to previous caucuses,” says Jeff Link, a longtime Democratic strategist in Iowa.

This restraint partly reflects a widespread belief in Democratic circles that in a