Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.) will likely run for president in 2020, according to multiple reports and a comment from the congressman himself.
Swalwell hinted at a run in August after he campaigned on behalf of several of his fellow Democrats in his home state of Iowa, telling Politico, "I'm going to make that decision after the midterms."
Sure enough, speculation ramped up as soon as the day after Election Day, when Swalwell told NBC News he was visiting Iowa yet again. The visit will mark Swalwell's 13th to the Hawkeye State, home to the first Democratic caucus and familiar stomping grounds for those mulling presidential runs.
A week earlier, Swalwell visited crucial primary state New Hampshire to host a "Countdown to Victory Dinner." "People were extremely impressed by him and New Hampshire people are hard to impress," Manchester Democratic Party chairman Gene Martin told Politico Thursday. "People walked away from that dinner with just a ‘wow affect’ and he worked the room like someone who was running for president."
Politico also reported that Swalwell's run was likely to happen, quoting a source close to the congressman who believes, "He’s definitely running."
When asked by Fox News' Neil Cavuto about that quote, Swalwell responded that he was "absolutely" looking into a presidential run.
"I'm considering it..." he said. "Absolutely I'm looking at it, and I'm going to talk with my family over the holiday." Swalwell cited as his selling points his humble beginnings as the first in his family to go to college, his experience as a prosecutor, and his role in the House investigation into alleged ties between Donald Trump and Russia.
Swalwell is generally better known for his strong social media presence than his actual legislative accomplishments, often racking up tens of thousands of retweets with tweets that appeal to "Resistance" Twitter. At times Swalwell's tone on social media has gotten him into hot water, such as when he apologized for tweeting "Boo hoo" in response to reports that Republican Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) had received death threats.