The “Who is running in 2020?” tea leaves thread, Part 3

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

We need Holder to run because he has a mustache and none of the candidates so far have facial hair and representation is important.

[LabourJersey]

https://nypost.com/2019/02/11/de-blasio-heading-to-new-hampshire-amid-rumblings-of-2020-run/
De Blasio is going to New Hampshire on Friday.

I'd be amazed if he actually runs. He has no lane, all the NYC money will be for Booker, Gillibrand or Harris, and his record is mediocre.

[Ye We Can]

We need Holder to run because he has a mustache and none of the candidates so far have facial hair and representation is important.

Unironic agreement, I feel left out

[Mr. Morden]

Holder planning to make a decision on 2020 within the next two weeks:

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/12/677956774/former-attorney-general-eric-holder-close-to-2020-decision-as-he-heads-to-iowa

OK, let me amend that statement.  From the phrasing of the article, I guess that "within the next two weeks" came from sources in Holder's orbit?  This story though is reporting on Holder's appearance in Iowa today, and has him giving a direct quote saying that his timeline is "the next month or so":

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-02-12/former-ag-eric-holder-to-decide-on-2020-bid-in-a-few-weeks

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[Mr. Morden]

Bullock headed to Iowa later this week:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/12/steve-bullock-2020-elections-1167279

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[MT Treasurer]

Bullock headed to Iowa later this week:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/12/steve-bullock-2020-elections-1167279

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More like "not yet", if you ask me (and other MT Republicans). We’ll see what happens after he drops out after IA or SC.

[Kung Fu Kenny]

As much as I love Steve Bullock and I'd love for him to run, I think he'd be best suited hoping for a cabinet position in the next administration. Maybe he could do Energy or Interior.

[gottsu]

As much as I love Steve Bullock and I'd love for him to run, I think he'd be best suited hoping for a cabinet position in the next administration. Maybe he could do Energy or Interior.

Yeah, the next Democratic cabinet must be composed of the whole spectrum of Democrats - there must be a place also for red state Dems (like Bullock or Heitkamp), progressives, Clinton's centrists and coastal elitists.

[Mr. Morden]

Holder planning to make a decision on 2020 within the next two weeks:

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/12/677956774/former-attorney-general-eric-holder-close-to-2020-decision-as-he-heads-to-iowa

OK, let me amend that statement.  From the phrasing of the article, I guess that "within the next two weeks" came from sources in Holder's orbit?  This story though is reporting on Holder's appearance in Iowa today, and has him giving a direct quote saying that his timeline is "the next month or so":

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-02-12/former-ag-eric-holder-to-decide-on-2020-bid-in-a-few-weeks

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And yet another amendment to this: When pressed further on his timeline, Holder said it'll probably be closer to three weeks than four, so I guess he's targeting the first week of March:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/eric-holder-says-he-ll-decide-2020-run-march-n970881

[Mr. Morden]

Bloomberg planning on spending at least $500 million on the 2020 presidential election (either on his own campaign if he runs, or to back the eventual Dem. nominee if he doesn't run):

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/michael-bloomberg-trump-2020-1167159

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[No War, but the War on Christmas]

The democratic primary has got to be the worst place to self fund, lol. He progressive activist base will turn on him so quickly.

[Mr. Morden]

Biden:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/13/joe-biden-talks-to-democratic-donors-about-2020-presidential-run.html

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[Kung Fu Kenny]

I'm still holding out hope that Biden doesn't run. What would it take for him to pass on running?

[President Johnson]

Bullock headed to Iowa later this week:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/12/steve-bullock-2020-elections-1167279

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Yes! I hope he jumps in and exceeds expectations. Bullock has some unquie assets that would make him a very formidable candidate for the general election.

[Spiffy]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

[Woody]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

This is going to be interesting.

[gottsu]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

This is going to be interesting.

Don't hold your breath. He'll close his shop early. If someone from GOP wants to primary Trump it's got to be someone bigger than Weld.

[scutosaurus]

More Messam:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryancbrooks/wayne-messam-president-mayor-florida

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He could be a very formidable candidate.

[Mr. Morden]

O'Rourke met with Schumer last week to discuss a possible run for Senate in 2020:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/schumer-beto-castro-2020-senate-bid-1168554

[Progressive Pessimist]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

This is going to be interesting.

Don't hold your breath. He'll close his shop early. If someone from GOP wants to primary Trump it's got to be someone bigger than Weld.

Agreed.

More Messam:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryancbrooks/wayne-messam-president-mayor-florida

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He could be a very formidable candidate.

He should run for Senate or Governor instead and become the new Andrew Gillum when he inevitably loses by <1%.

O'Rourke met with Schumer last week to discuss a possible run for Senate in 2020:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/schumer-beto-castro-2020-senate-bid-1168554

Bad move. Cornyn will be much tougher to defeat to Cruz. Beto should not waste his profile on this and become known as the guy from Texas who lost twice while trying to run for Senate.

[Zaybay]

O'Rourke met with Schumer last week to discuss a possible run for Senate in 2020:

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/schumer-beto-castro-2020-senate-bid-1168554

Good move. Cornyn is much more unpopular and aloof than Cruz, and with 2020 minority turnout, and a campaign ready to get back into gear, he stands a great chance than winning, especially now that his star for the presidency has been crowded out by other candidates.

[Sherrod Brown Shill]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

This is going to be interesting.

Don't hold your breath. He'll close his shop early. If someone from GOP wants to primary Trump it's got to be someone bigger than Weld.

Is anyone other then Weld gonna even want to get in? Even if the Mueller report drops and Trump gets impeached and acquitted, causing Kasich/Flake/Hogan to get in, Weld is still gonna have a big fundraising head start and get a lot of media exposure from the time that he was the principal Never-Trump guy.

[TarHeelDem]

https://twitter.com/jdistaso/status/1095790544670871553?s=21

This is going to be interesting.

Don't hold your breath. He'll close his shop early. If someone from GOP wants to primary Trump it's got to be someone bigger than Weld.

Is anyone other then Weld gonna even want to get in? Even if the Mueller report drops and Trump gets impeached and acquitted, causing Kasich/Flake/Hogan to get in, Weld is still gonna have a big fundraising head start and get a lot of media exposure from the time that he was the principal Never-Trump guy.

Feels like a big assumption at this point that Trump will definitely be acquitted...

[Heebie Jeebie]

Bad move. Cornyn will be much tougher to defeat to Cruz. Beto should not waste his profile on this and become known as the guy from Texas who lost twice while trying to run for Senate.

Nah.  If he wants to hold higher office, he should run now, even if he is likely to lose.  At the very least he would make the state competitive, which means Republicans would have to invest tens of millions more keeping Texas than they otherwise would, draining resources from other competitive states.  That's the kind of thing that can build a lot of good will with the party establishment, and it wouldn't be unreasonable for Beto to expect a prominent job with the next Democratic administration if he gave it his all.

Having said all that, I think Beto is hugely overrated as a politician and some other candidate, Kim Olson maybe, would probably do just as well.

[Beet]

Bad move. Cornyn will be much tougher to defeat to Cruz. Beto should not waste his profile on this and become known as the guy from Texas who lost twice while trying to run for Senate.

Nah.  If he wants to hold higher office, he should run now, even if he is likely to lose.  At the very least he would make the state competitive, which means Republicans would have to invest tens of millions more keeping Texas than they otherwise would, draining resources from other competitive states.  That's the kind of thing that can build a lot of good will with the party establishment, and it wouldn't be unreasonable for Beto to expect a prominent job with the next Democratic administration if he gave it his all.

Having said all that, I think Beto is hugely overrated as a politician and some other candidate, Kim Olson maybe, would probably do just as well.

I don't know why everyone gets the idea that Cornyn is titanically more popular than Cruz. Polls don't reflect it, and Cruz, not Cornyn, is the guy who overwhelmingly beat Trump in a Texas presidential primary.