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Garcetti 'Thinking Hard About' Presidential Run, Will Make Final Decision in Early 2019

Eric Garcetti / Getty Images
November 29, 2018

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D.) said Thursday he is "thinking hard about" running for president and will make a final decision in the first quarter of 2019.

Garcetti has previously said he's considering running, and he is part of a long list of potential 2020 Democratic contenders against Republican President Donald Trump.

Garcetti said of the presidential campaign, "It's going to be about getting s—t done."

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Garcetti said last month the country was in "bad shape" and was propelled by giving Americans a better life.

"No sane person would run for president, right?" he told Recode. "This country is in such bad shape. I worry about the country I’ll leave my daughter behind. I worry whether America will lead in this world again. I wonder whether my fellow Americans will have a shot at a better life. I’m really worried they won’t. That’s what propels me."

The group of likely 2020 contenders looks like it will far exceed the 17-person Republican field that resulted in the surprising nomination of Trump.

The slate of people mulling a run or already running include lesser-known national figures like Garcetti, former Obama administration official Julián Castro, and Rep. John Delaney (D., Md.), as well as more prominent politicians like former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.), and Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.); former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D.); Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D., Texas); former Secretary of State John Kerry; and former Attorney General Eric Holder.

Non-politicians like lawyer Michael Avenatti and ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz are also potential candidates.