Washington governor and 2020 candidate Jay Inslee (D.) said on Sunday he thinks he has humility about being a straight white male, saying he recognizes the advantages he's received as a result of that identity.
"Our new CNN/Des Moines Register poll shows only 38 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa say they would be satisfied with a straight white male nominee," CNN anchor Jake Tapper said. "So why are you as a straight white male the right person to lead the Democratic party if there's so much skepticism from Democrats in Iowa?"
"I think I have a humility about being a straight white male that I have never experienced discrimination like so many do. I've never been pulled over as an African-American teenager by an officer driving through a white neighborhood. I've never been a woman talked over in a meeting," Inslee responded.
The 2020 candidate, who announced his candidacy March 1, said because he hasn't faced discrimination in the same way, he approaches governance with humility.
"That's why I've been so dedicated to a 25-year public career of advancing justice in our society, of making sure that we have as much diversity as possible in the 2,000 people I've appointed—and we have done really well in that regard—of making sure the people work with me have to go through bias training so they understand how implicit bias can really discriminate, doing criminal justice reform," he said.
The latest CNN/Des Moines Register poll also showed two straight white males leading the Democratic primary. Former Vice President Joe Biden leads with 27 percent and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) is second with 25 percent.
New Iowa Poll: @DMRegister / CNN
Biden 27%
Sanders 25%
Warren 9%
Harris 7%
O’Rourke 5%
Booker 3%
Klobuchar 3%
Castro 1%
Bennet 1%
Buttigieg 1%
Bullock 1%
Delaney 1%
Inslee 1%https://t.co/4kt41nOQCw— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 10, 2019
"During my time in office I've been very, very committed to making this more just, open and tolerant society. That's one of the reasons Washington is so successful," Inslee added.