McAuliffe Considers 2020 White House Bid As Dems Worry "There"s Too Much Clinton In Him"

Virginia governor, and long-time Clinton confidant, Terry McAuliffe is apparently "seriously" considering a bid for the White House in 2020. Per The Hill:

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) is “seriously” considering the 2020 presidential race, according to confidants.

 

“He’s given me every indication that he’s taking it seriously,” said one McAuliffe friend who has spoken to him about his 2020 prospects. “I don’t think he’s 100 percent decided that this is something he’s planning to do but it is something he’s seriously considering.”

 

“Whether he pulls the trigger or not, that remains to be seen,” the friend added.

 

McAuliffe could successfully talk about his track record as governor of Virginia, a purple state, former aides and associates say.

Of course, our readers will undoubtedly recall that McAuliffe is the same Clinton confidant who funneled roughly $700,000 in political contributions to the Senate campaign of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe"s wife at the same time that McCabe was conveniently overseeing an investigation of Hillary Clinton. 

Not surprisingly, it"s precisely that little nuance about his background that has Democratic strategists worried that he has "too much Clinton in him" to be a successful 2020 candidate.

But should he decide to run, the governor would face some obstacles.

 

For starters — his close ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton.

 

On the heels of a disappointing loss in 2016, political observers say Democrats might want someone from outside of  Clinton World in 2020.

 

And McAuliffe, who served as co-chairman of Bill Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign and chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign, would be labeled by rivals as a major part of the Clinton inner circle.

 

“I think that’s his biggest problem,” the friend said. “It will be so hard for him to thread the needle. Bill Clinton is his best friend and anyone who knows Terry knows he is a very, very loyal person. He would walk over coals for Bill Clinton, so I don’t think it’s a politically tenable position.”

 

Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, agreed that his Clinton ties are problematic.

 

“I don’t think he is the way to go for the Democrats,” Zelizer said. “There is too much Clinton in him, and he doesn’t have the kind of fire power on the campaign trail people will need to really rally the base.”

Meanwhile, even if he does decide to run, the bookies don"t seem to think he has a chance.  According to PaddyPower, California Senator Kamala Harris is the front-runner for Dems with Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden not far behind and Terry McAuliffe an extreme long shot at 80/1.

Shockingly, Kanye West didn"t even make the list...