Winners and losers

Winners

Thomas Perez: He wasn't the first major candidate in the race (that was Keith Ellison). And he wasn't the most dynamic candidate in the race (that was Pete Buttigieg). But Perez understood something very important: The Democratic establishment still has lots and lots of power within the party committees. Perez was the establishment (and Obama)-preferred candidate, and that still matters in a group like the DNC. Perez will be one of a handful of Democrats entrusted with rebuilding the party. Pete Buttigieg: The Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, dropped out before any votes were cast yesterday. That was smart. He wasn't likely to come close to either Perez or Ellison, and that might have slowed the momentum and buzz he clearly built. Buttigieg won rave reviews with his emphasis on middle America and how Democrats can start winning there again. Buttigieg is already being talked about as a Senate or Governor candidate in 2020.

Losers

Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren: The two most prominent voices of liberals in Washington made very early endorsements of Ellison. The goal was to end the race before it started, discouraging other serious candidates from running. Didn't work. That should raise real questions about just how much clout the Sanders/Warren wing of the party has. Republican Party: Republicans had