WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Thomas Zimmer — Liberal Democrats in the United States already oppose former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receiving the Democratic presidential nomination in light of her support of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), experts told Sputnik on Monday.
“The more liberal part of the Democratic Party that is less open to GMOs are probably already against Hillary Clinton,” University of Northern Iowa Associate Political Science Professor Christopher Larimer said.
Larimer explains that the votes amongst the US Democratic Party voting block have already been divided up amidst the different elements of the US Democratic Party, despite the GMO issue.
“People who are going to support her [Clinton] will support her and those who won’t — won’t,” Larimer said. “If they are Clinton backers, they are Clinton backers. GMOs won’t be a deciding factor.”
On Monday, Clinton was called the “Bride of Frankenfood” by liberal Democrats in Iowa for her support of GMOs and the agribusiness company Monsanto.
Harvard College Public Policy Lecturer Richard Parker told Sputnik on Monday that the GMO issue is a concern for the progressive wing of the US Democratic Party, which has already made up their minds about Clinton.
“The GMO issue is an issue within the left wing, progressive wing of the Democratic Party,” Parker said. “That wing is opposed to Clinton’s nomination.”
Parker explains that the GMO issue in addition to other issues brought up Clinton has to deal with are part of the early stage of the 2016 election process, where the press, elites, and donors are testing candidates for different political party nominations.
“When talking about support in an abstract sense, it isn’t surprising she’s supporting GMOs,” Parker said. “The question is this one more way to erode support for her?”
“There will have to be candidates like [Martin] O’Malley and [Bernie] Sanders that will create a coalition of these narrow issues to challenge her,” Parker concluded. “They will have to create a narrative of why they are a better candidate."
On Monday, Iowa advocacy group Iowa Citizen Action Network told Sputnik the group hopes Clinton will change her stance and not support GMOs.
