May 14, 2019

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announces 2020 run

Steve Bullock, the 53-year-old governor of Montana, is running for president, making him the 23rd Democrat to enter the diverse field of candidates angling to take on President Trump in 2020.

The big picture: As another moderate white guy — the 4th male candidate with a last name starting with "B" — with little name recognition and a comparably late campaign start, Bullock faces an uphill battle to distinguish himself from the pack.

Themes from Bullock's 3-minute announcement video:

Bipartisanship: He emphasizes that "as a Democratic governor from a state Trump won by 20 points, I don't have the luxury of just talking to the people who agree with me."
Fighting corruption: "Today we see evidence of a corrupt system all across America, a government that serves campaign money, not the people," Bullock says, pointing to his fight to ban dark money in elections after the Citizens' United v. FEC ruling in 2010.
Humble beginnings: Bullock talks about being raised by a single mother in a family that struggled to get by.

What's next: Bullock will host a campaign launch rally on Tuesday at Helena High School in Montana. Then he'll begin an eight-stop swing to Iowa through this weekend.

Go deeper: Keep track of the 2020 candidates with our election graphic

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