In less than three weeks, Hillary will have another Democratic challenger officially in the pool. Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley will formally launch his 2016 presidential campaign with an announcement from the city of Baltimore.
Report from the Washington Post:
Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who has been ramping up for a potential White House bid, plans to make an announcement about his political future on May 30 in Baltimore, aides said Wednesday.
O’Malley, who is widely expected to run for the Democratic nomination, will tell donors and other supporters about the announcement in a conference call scheduled for Thursday night, according to aides who requested anonymity in order to speak more freely.
The aides expect O’Malley to say he is inclined to run but to remain somewhat circumspect about his intentions. Were he to tell them outright that he plans to enter the race, he could trigger a 15-day window that would require him to file candidacy papers before May 30.
I think O’Malley is under-performing in the polls and may get the bump he deserves with a formal announcement. He has started to court the Elizabeth Warren voters by pointing out the simple fact that she isn’t running, and he is. Furthermore, he intends to carry the progressive mantle, held by Warren, against Hillary Clinton in the primary campaign.
