Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump: Who is an outsider candidate?

Voters in recent election cycles have flirted with candidates who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. 

In 2008, Barack Obama was the fashionable outside pick, challenging the Clinton machine.

In a 2016 cycle colored by a rush of populism, Republicans’ interest was piqued by Donald Trump from the moment he descended down the escalator.

At the same time, some Democrats backed Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent.

In 2020, Pete Buttigieg was the so-called “outsider,” a small-town mayor with a name few could pronounce who was both a war veteran and a gay man. 

Now, as the players in the 2028 presidential race begin to emerge, voters, particularly on the Democratic side, are searching for the next outsider, even if the definition of just who is and is not an “outsider” is a bit elusive.

Based on past precedent, an outsider can be someone outside of Washington, a political neophyte, a no-name congressman or anyone who encapsulates the sheer frustration voters feel over the current political climate. 

“They are tired of the partisanship. They are tired of being mad at friends and family over politics. They are tired of politicians who don’t address the issues that they stress over every day,” Mark Cuban, the billionaire business mogul whose name is often bandied about as a potential “outsider” candidate, told The Hill. 

Cuban said voters “want to elect someone who will reduce their stress.”

“Politicians, particularly those who have been at it for a while, do the same shit over and over and over,” he added. “You know, the definition of insanity.” 

While outsiders were once considered people outside........

© The Hill