Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown moved one step closer to mounting a run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday.
Brown, who narrowly won reelection last year in a state carried by President Donald Trump, told MSNBC's Chris Hayes he would be embarking on a "Dignity of Work" tour to the early caucus and primary states.
"I spent my entire Senate career fighting for the dignity of work," Brown said. "I'm announcing tonight on this show that I'm planning a 'Dignity of Work' listening tour kicking off in Cleveland and then ... going to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina."
The senator laid out his hopes that such a tour would allow him to "continue learning" how to ensure hard work pays off for everyone.
"I want to continue to learn about the dignity of work from you, whether you swipe a card, whether you punch a clock, whether you work for tips, whether you work on salary, [or] whether you're taking care of kids. And I want to hear from people around and I want this conversation ... to encourage my colleagues running for president that this should be the narrative," Brown said.
"It's the best way to govern, fighting for the dignity of work, and it's the best way to win elections," he added.
When pushed by Hayes if the tour was the initial step towards a presidential run, Brown conceded that he had "not made that decision" yet. The senator added, however, that he was exploring the possibility, especially as "national Democrats" seemed to be "making a choice" between speaking to the party's progressive base or "to workers [and] working-class families regardless of race."
"To me, you've got to do both," Brown said. "That's how we won Ohio. You've got to talk to workers and you've got to have that progressive message. You talk to workers regardless of what kind of work they do."
Arguing that it was imperative to speak to both groups "without compromising" on abortion, "civil rights," "gay rights, and workers rights," Brown said his most recent reelection battle should serve as a model for the Democratic Party.
"I think that because Ohio is in so many ways the number one swing state in the country, a message that works there— the dignity of work—works everywhere."
The tour will kick off in the senator's hometown of Cleveland on Jan. 30 and with a trip to Iowa scheduled for the following day. Visits to New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada will be spread out over the month of February.
To accompany his announcement, Brown rolled out a new website for his "dignity of work" tour, which is paid for by his Senate fundraising vehicle, America Works PAC.
In recent months, Brown's name has appeared on the list of potential 2020 Democratic contenders. Last week, Politico reported that the senator's chief of staff was scouting out possible avenues for political support in Iowa should Brown run.
The senator's emphasis on the "dignity of work" was a prime theme of his 2018 reelection campaign against Republican Jim Renacci. In campaigns and town halls throughout Ohio, the senator hammered away with his populist message about increasing opportunities for the working-class. That narrative, along with his name recognition and fundraising advantage, ensured Brown avoided the fate of other red-state Democrats to secure a third term.
On Tuesday, Brown signaled he would stay just as relentlessly on message were he to wage a White House bid.
"All of us in government need to respect and honor the dignity of work," Brown said. "We don't do that. That's one reason why wages have lagged behind. We've seen corporate profits go up, we've seen the productivity of workers go up, we've seen executive compensation explode, and wages are flat. That's frankly because this government in Washington, especially the president ... has betrayed workers."
"The message of the dignity of work will work for any Democratic nominee that comes down the line in the next couple of months," the senator added.