Daniel Galitsky

Although the primaries are still months away, the media circus surrounding presidential candidates has begun in earnest. On the Republican side, Donald Trump has the biggest share of attention, but with no dominant contender, more than a dozen candidates are receiving substantial coverage.

However, on the Democratic side, coverage is split almost exclusively between known quantity Hillary Clinton and upstart Bernie Sanders. Maryland voters are familiar with former Gov. Martin O’Malley, but nationally, he has mostly gone unnoticed by voters.

Meanwhile, a candidate who hasn’t gotten the attention he deserves is former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. If Clinton becomes stale in voters’ minds and the public finds Sanders to be too far left, space could open for another option this primary season.

Webb’s campaign seems to be centered on his military background. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Webb served as a Marine Corps lieutenant, leading a platoon in Vietnam. He is highly decorated, earning a Navy Cross and two Purple Hearts.

Historically, veterans have performed well in presidential elections, but that has not been the case in the recent past. The 2012 election was the first since 1932 in which neither party had a veteran on the ticket. The only other veterans in the 2016 race are the long shot Republicans Rick Perry and Lindsey Graham, but neither saw combat duty.

Taking into account the lukewarm reception veterans received upon their return and the recent scandals involving the Veterans Affairs Department, it seems appropriate for at least one Vietnam veteran to play a significant role in 2016. But that alone is clearly not enough, as John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain in 2008 both failed to reach the White House.

Although it’s stabilized in recent years, the economy is still the dominant issue on many voters’ minds. If events in coming months bring greater focus to defense or foreign policy, Webb will become a stronger candidate. His statements opposing the Iraq War, along with other foreign policy columns he has written, have given him a foundation to build credibility.

Drawing tens of thousands to his campaign rallies, Sanders has become the first legitimate challenger to Clinton. As a more moderate Democrat, Webb has the potential to carve out his own base of support among more middle voters who don’t buy into Sanders’ brand of populism. He might currently be a long shot, but there is still time for Jim Webb to make an impact in the race.

Daniel Galitsky is a senior economics and finance major. He can be reached at dgalitskydbk@gmail.com.