The “Who is running in 2020?” tea leaves thread, Part 4

[PaperKooper]

Swalwell is announcing in two weeks:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/overheard-from-eric-swalwell-im-announcing-in-two-weeks

“Don’t tell anybody, but I’m announcing in two weeks,” Swalwell was overheard saying at a fundraiser on Friday, according to Politico.

Swalwell held a dinner fundraiser at John’s Grill in San Francisco where about 80 big donors attended.

[Sestak]

https://twitter.com/MikeGravel/status/1113257478202871808

Gravel is running

I CAN SPLICE IT

Lmao

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Howie Hawkins has formed an exploratory committee.

https://howiehawkins.us/

[ltomlinson31]

https://twitter.com/HenryJGomez/status/1113570669604888576?s=19

[Mr. Morden]

https://twitter.com/HenryJGomez/status/1113570669604888576?s=19

Looks like it might happen as early as tomorrow (unless he just teases the announcement on The View, but doesn't actually make it until Saturday):

Ryan is scheduled to appear Thursday on The View, a popular talk show destination for national politicians. He is also planning a Saturday rally in Youngstown. Leaders from local organized labor — long a staple of his base — have been invited to attend.

[henster]

https://twitter.com/HenryJGomez/status/1113570669604888576?s=19

Looks like it might happen as early as tomorrow (unless he just teases the announcement on The View, but doesn't actually make it until Saturday):

Ryan is scheduled to appear Thursday on The View, a popular talk show destination for national politicians. He is also planning a Saturday rally in Youngstown. Leaders from local organized labor — long a staple of his base — have been invited to attend.

Really hope none of these guys end up making the debates they need a serious ego check.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Howie Hawkins has formed an exploratory committee.

https://howiehawkins.us/

For the Green Party, right?

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

uh

https://twitter.com/COindependent/status/1113610275129683968

link to article

Just as he had finally become comfortable with his decision to run, he went to get a physical and received very discomfiting news from his doctor — he has prostate cancer.

[...]

And so, now Bennet is still committed to running for president if — and it’s an important if, but an if that Bennet says he’s at peace with — he will be cancer free. The surgery to remove the prostate gland is scheduled for soon after the congressional spring recess, which begins on April 11.

[...]

Bennet explains that he decided to get into the race after finishing his book — “The Land of the Flickering Light”, which comes out in June — and realizing that no one in the field was talking about the reasons for the dysfunction he sees on a daily basis in Congress and how the money and corruption there have put our republican democracy at real risk. As he puts it, after 10 years on the job, “I am shocked every day” by how little gets done there.

I wish him good luck and a speedy recovery. 54 is young for cancer.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Howie Hawkins has formed an exploratory committee.

https://howiehawkins.us/

For the Green Party, right?

Yes, making him the 4th major candidate so far.

[user12345]

As if the Dem primary was not full enough... Pretty soon 3-4% will be enough to get you in the top 3 polling candidates.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

https://twitter.com/HenryJGomez/status/1113570669604888576?s=19

You have got to be f@cking kidding me

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

https://twitter.com/HenryJGomez/status/1113570669604888576?s=19

You have got to be f@cking kidding me

What a buffoon.

[Zaybay]

What a moron. Oh well, hopefully he vacates his house seat so we can get a better Dem in there.

[ibagli]

What a moron. Oh well, hopefully he vacates his house seat so we can get a better Dem in there.

It won't last long enough for that.

[Mr. Morden]

The Atlantic says that Swalwell will not actually announce at that event on April 14th, but instead is planning to announce on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert some time next week (exact date unclear):

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/04/eric-swalwell-says-gun-safety-must-be-top-2020-issue/586483/

There are more long-shot Democrats running for president this year than there have been total candidates in previous campaigns—and next week, Eric Swalwell is joining the pack. The California congressman and frequent cable-news guest on all things related to President Donald Trump and Russia will announce his presidential plans in an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. But he won’t be running on Russia, or on the continuing fallout from the Mueller report and the Barr letter. Swalwell will center his campaign on gun control.

Helping him do that will be Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who became prominent in the March for Our Lives student movement. Swalwell has written about being inspired by the youth movement in his call to ban all assault weapons, and Kasky was his guest at the State of the Union address in February. Together, they’re organizing a town hall that Swalwell will host in Coral Springs, Florida, on Tuesday. Swalwell announced the town hall on Wednesday afternoon, but made no mention in the public announcement of his political plans.

[Mr. Morden]

Tim Ryan's campaign website timryanforcongress.com now redirects to https://www.timryanforamerica.com which gives a 404 error.

[Mr. Morden]

https://twitter.com/TimRyan/status/1113813799176417282

[libertpaulian]

https://twitter.com/TimRyan/status/1113813799176417282

Well, at least the primaries have gotten a bit more attractive.

[Mr. Morden]

Abrams seems to be suggesting that if she chooses not to run for Senate (a decision which could come soon), then she may not end up deciding about whether to run for president until the fall:

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-04/stacey-abrams-considering-run-for-president-or-senate

"My first responsibility is to decide whether a Senate run is right for me," Abrams said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," and whether the Senate is "the right job I need to hold." She said if she instead considers a presidential run, she could wait until fall to get in the race – a departure from the strategies of some 16 Democrat who are already raising money and campaigning in early primary states.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Once Brown decided not to run, I figured Ryan would jump in at that point. I'm not surprised.

[Mr. Morden]

More on Abrams’s latest comments about her future:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/04/politics/stacey-abrams-2020-plans-white-house-decision-fall/index.html

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams said Thursday that running for president is "probably third on the list" of her potential future bids for office, behind running for the US Senate or seeking a gubernatorial rematch.

Abrams told the Wall Street Journal that she's "excited by the fact that so many have reached out to me about running for the presidency," and that running for president is "an important consideration because I think we need the right kind of campaign for 2020."

She further detailed her plans Thursday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," saying she'd make a decision on a Senate run in the "short-term," and that "I don't think you actually have to make a decision about the White House before the fall."
.
.
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She continued, "I think the Senate decision is going to be pretty short-term. I intended to do it in March but because of my book tour, I had to push it back. But I do want to make a decision this month. And then I don't think you actually have to make a decision about the White House before the fall."

In other news, Swalwell will be in NH on Saturday:

https://www.wmur.com/article/movers-lift-their-spirits-with-songs-while-they-lift-people-s-belongings/27036629

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Abrams seems to be suggesting that if she chooses not to run for Senate (a decision which could come soon), then she may not end up deciding about whether to run for president until the fall:

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-04/stacey-abrams-considering-run-for-president-or-senate

"My first responsibility is to decide whether a Senate run is right for me," Abrams said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," and whether the Senate is "the right job I need to hold." She said if she instead considers a presidential run, she could wait until fall to get in the race – a departure from the strategies of some 16 Democrat who are already raising money and campaigning in early primary states.

That is WAY too late to launch a presidential bid.

[GoTfan]

At this stage I wouldn't be surprised if the ghost of Harry Truman said he was running.

[eric82oslo]

Abrams seems to be suggesting that if she chooses not to run for Senate (a decision which could come soon), then she may not end up deciding about whether to run for president until the fall:

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-04/stacey-abrams-considering-run-for-president-or-senate

"My first responsibility is to decide whether a Senate run is right for me," Abrams said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," and whether the Senate is "the right job I need to hold." She said if she instead considers a presidential run, she could wait until fall to get in the race – a departure from the strategies of some 16 Democrat who are already raising money and campaigning in early primary states.

That is WAY too late to launch a presidential bid.

It is not. And everyone knows it is not.

[Mr. Morden]

Abrams says September might be an appropriate timeframe for a decision on a presidential run:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/04/stacey-abrams-president-senate-1258814

"My responsibility is to analyze it, decide if that's the job for me and how I can win," she added. "I believe based on my understanding of the contours of how to run a presidential race, September is actually an appropriate date."