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Top Democrats did their best to clear the field for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and left themselves with a problem they didn’t see coming: Their nominee was deeply out of step with the electorate’s mood.

In hindsight, the distaste for establishment candidates is this year’s clearest theme. Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Marco Rubio all flamed out. A self-identified socialist who hadn’t previously even been a member of the Democratic Party won almost 45 percent of primary votes. Last week, voters in most states rejected the highly experienced Clinton for a man who will soon be the least experienced president in American history.

There is no question that the Democrats now have a thin field of national leaders — but that thinness has an upside. The party can’t repeat the mistake of 2016.