DemDaily: The Presidential Contenders
Three months ago, the results of the contentious 2016 presidential campaign were too fresh and painful to start thinking about the 2020 White House contest and potential contenders.
But now, six months into Trump's administration, and with the self-inflicted daily onslaught of controversy that plagues his presidency, the prospect of his replacement gives some comfort to weary watchers.
Should Mr. Trump leave office early or choose not to run again, then the Republican field would burst wide open but, for now, as the sitting incumbent Republican President, the threat is from the Democratic field.
Pic: Politico
Potential 2020 Democratic Presidential Contenders
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Contenders(Potential)
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Background
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State
(Home)
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The Rundown
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| Joe Biden |
Former US Vice President (Obama)
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Delaware
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Biden, 74, who later lamented not running in 2016, has claimed he is not running, but has not formally dismissed a candidacy.
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Cory Booker
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US Senator since 2013; Mayor of Newark 2006-2013
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New Jersey |
Booker's meteoric rise from a mayor of Newark, NJ, to US Senator has fueled speculation about a presidential run. While Booker, 48, won't discuss future plans, he has not ruled it out. |
| Sherrod Brown |
US Senator since 2006.
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Ohio
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Brown, 64, was on Clinton's running mate shortlist. He may face a tough reelection in 2018, after Trump won Ohio in 2016, but don't count him out.
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| Steve Bullock | Governor since 2013 | Montana |
Bullock, 51, announced the creation of "Big Sky Values PAC," considered a vehicle for exploring a run
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| Julián Castro | Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary under Obama | Texas | Castro, 42, was on Hillary Clinton's VP shortlist. The former San Antonio mayor first drew national attention w/his 2012 Democratic Convention speech. |
| Andrew Cuomo | Governor since 2011 | New York |
Cuomo, 59, is running for reelection in 2018, but is expanding his national reach, including hiring out-of-state fundraisers.
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| Keith Ellison | Congressman since 2006 | Minnesota | Ellison, 53, is cris-crossing the country as DNC Deputy Chair. The former Sanders supporter has yet to pull himself out of the race. |
| Eric Garcetti | Mayor of Los Angeles since 2013 | California | Garcetti, 46, has been incredibly vocal against Trump in the past two years, and his increasing popularity in Los Angeles spans past those boundaries. |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | US Senator since 2010 | New York | An increasingly visible national voice who is also actively courting major Democratic donors, it is unclear how real her intentions are to run |
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Kamala Harris
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United States Senator, elected in 2016, and former California AG.
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California | The freshman Senator, 52, is a rising star and has been in the limelight as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. |
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John Hickenlooper
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Governor since 2011, Mayor of Denver 2003-2011
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Colorado | Hickenlooper, 65, has increased his public profile over the last year. |
| Amy Klobuchar |
US Senator since 2006
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Minnesota
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Klobuchar, 57, is running for reelection in 2018, but has stoke speculation with travel to key poltiical states.
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| Terry McAuliffe | Governor of Virginia since 2014 | Virginia |
The term-limited governor will be out in January 2018. McAuliffe, 60, is BFFs with the Clintons, a popular former DNC Chair, successful businessman & superior fundraiser
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| Martin O'Malley |
Former Governor
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Maryland |
O'Malley, 54, didn't gain much traction in his 2016 run, but he's was already testing waters in a a few battlegound states in the spring.
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Deval Patrick
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Former Governor
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Massachusetts
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Patrick, 60, left office in 2015 and is now at Bain Capital. He's been previously floated as a presidential contender and is close with top Obama adviser, David Axelrod, but has had a low profile since the election.
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| Tom Perez | DNC Chair | Maryland | Elected Chair of the Democratic National Committee in February, the former Labor Secretary, 55, is focused on rebuilding the party and unlikely to run. |
| Bernie Sanders | US Senator since 2006 | Vermont | Sanders, 75, emerged as a leader on the left after his 2016 presidential run, and is working with the Democratic National Committee to help unite the party but has not taken himself out of the running. |
| Tom Steyer |
Multi-millionaire hedge fund manager, philanthropist and environmentalist
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California | Steyer, 60, has been active nationally oer the last decade and contributed significantly over the last decade through his NextGen Climate Action Committee. |
| Elizabeth Warren | U.S. Senator since 2012 | Massachusetts | Warren, 68, has become one of the biggest thorns in Trump's side. In an April interview, Warren said she has no plans to run in 2020 and is focused on her 2018 reelection. |
Democrats who have declined to be candidates include: Senators Mark Warner (VA), Chris Murphy (CT), Tim Kaine (VA), and Al Franken (MN) , as well as Governor Jay Inslee (WA) have also stated they will not be running.
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Sources: The Hill, New York Times, Politico, CNN, Wikipedia
