Washington Free Beacon editor in chief Matthew Continetti said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D., N.Y.) primary advantage in the 2020 Democratic presidential field is the Wall Street money she’ll have access to.
Gillibrand announced Tuesday she’s forming an exploratory committee to run for president, adding her name to a growing list of Democratic aspirants to the White House. Already two other Democratic congresswomen, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), made high-profile announcements for 2020, and Continetti said campaign cash will be Gillibrand's strong suit.
"What advantage does she have? One: money. She is a senator from New York and she has none of the hang-ups about taking Wall Street cash that some of the more populist Democrats have," Continetti said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
Other Democrats who've entered the race officially are former Obama HUD Secretary Julian Castro, former Rep. John Delaney (Md.), and West Virginia State Sen. Richard Ojeda. Continetti cited Barack Obama's former campaign manager in saying the woman who would defeat them all is not in the race.
"David Plouffe, Obama's former campaign manager says there is no favorite. So, why not run?" Continetti said. "The only person who would be able to clear the field, he says, is Michelle Obama, who is not running."
Adding that Gillibrand will have to perform well among female voters, Continetti expressed doubts about how wide her appeal will be.
"She is going to be able to fill her campaign coffers and she’s definitely going to appeal to the feminist vote," he said. "Whether that's enough to appeal to the whole Democratic Party, I'm not so sure."
Liberal commentator Richard Fowler said the large field would help Democrats find the best candidate to defeat President Donald Trump. "I think this is really good for our party," he said.
Brad Blakeman, former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, said he will enjoy the chance to "sit back and just watch the train wreck."
Continetti went on to say the Democratic field does have a favorite in the polls, but it’s still uncertain if he will run.
"There is a front-runner. His name is Joe Biden. The question is: Is he going to run?" Continetti said.