With Joe Biden as the only remaining Democratic candidate seeking the nomination for the 2020 presidential election, progressive Democrats have a choice to make. Will they support seemingly too moderate Joe Biden or will they abstain from voting all together? I believe that progressives should not cast away their beliefs to vote for a candidate who does not share their views. 

     Biden’s history of sexual misconduct should be enough to disqualify him from the race. Those who have rallied in support of the “Me Too” movement in recent years fell silent when an establishment democrat was accused of sexual assault. 

     Biden’s accuser, Tara Reade, said in an interview with NPR that she plans to abstain from voting this November because she refuses to vote for her attacker. Anyone who is an avid supporter of “believing women” should follow in her footsteps. Support for victims of sexual assault should not be conditional. Yet, many voters seem to have made it exactly that. How can we expect sexual assault victims and survivors to come forward with their stories if when they do, they are told that one man’s election is more important than their consent?

     Beyond Biden’s sketchy-at-best history, he is simply too moderate for many progressive voters. Voters should not be forced to vote for a candidate who does not represent their beliefs. Throughout Biden’s career, he has frequently held the same views as the majority of the democratic party, views that have let American voters down for decades. 

     Anyone who marches around with the “vote blue no matter who” trope does not understand the privilege they hold to be able to settle for Biden as the democratic candidate. Those people are able to vote for Biden because their life does not depend on it. There are countless progressive policies that would save thousands of lives, none of which will be implemented by Biden’s administration. For those whose lives depend on progressive elected officials, Biden is not a compromise candidate. Biden isn’t a candidate who cares about people. Biden is a candidate who follows the views of the time. 

     Progressives are tired of politicians who only create policy to appease the people. Bernie Sanders was not one of those candidates. Sanders has been fighting on the front lines for decades to stand against issues that Biden supported. 

     When searching for Trump’s replacement, the criteria should not just be someone who is capable of beating him. It shouldn’t be someone who is just good enough. Voters should strive for a candidate who will achieve a better America, not just one that isn’t as bad as Trump’s. 

     For these reasons, progressives should not be expected to vote for Joe Biden in November.