Eric Swalwell Is Running for President on Gun Safety

[DonViejo]

The California congressman is partnering with a Parkland student and says he isn’t afraid of the NRA.

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE
7:27 AM ET

There are more long-shot Democrats running for president this year than there have been total candidates in previous campaigns—and next week, Eric Swalwell is joining the pack. The California congressman and frequent cable-news guest on all things related to President Donald Trump and Russia will announce his presidential plans in an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. But he won’t be running on Russia, or on the continuing fallout from the Mueller report and the Barr letter. Swalwell will center his campaign on gun control.

Helping him do that will be Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who became prominent in the March for Our Lives student movement. Swalwell has written about being inspired by the youth movement in his call to ban all assault weapons, and Kasky was his guest at the State of the Union address in February. Together, they’re organizing a town hall that Swalwell will host in Coral Springs, Florida, on Monday. Swalwell announced the town hall on Wednesday afternoon, but made no mention in the public announcement of his political plans.

When I reached out to Swalwell on Wednesday evening, he wouldn’t confirm the news, but he didn’t leave much doubt that he intends to run for president. “We are doing a town hall in Parkland,” he told me. “And I do believe that gun safety has to be a top 2020 issue.”

Swalwell, a fourth-term congressman from Northern California who’s been involved in politics since he won a city-council seat as a college senior at the University of Maryland, is 38 years old. He has been building up to a run for months, with his staff stepping up outreach to donors in recent weeks. But the gun-control focus has developed quietly. Last week, he invited Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Gun Safety, to join him at an annual event with veterans at a shooting range. He tweeted a photo of himself firing at a target and one posing with Watts on the range, but made no mention of his political plans.

more
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/04/eric-swalwell-says-gun-safety-must-be-top-2020-issue/586483/

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. *sigh*

Swalwell is more useful in Congress...I'd be surprised if he makes it to New Hampshire...

Maybe he's angling for the Veep slot- he can be quite the pit bull.

[RLG]

3. There are times I find him more interesting than Buttigieg.

But, there are too many other candidates out there. He'll get lost in the shuffle.

[Hortensis]

11. :) Agree. Most likely professional advancement of a different sort.

It'd double for running for reelection in 2020 and for VP or a cabinet post. A CA senate seat will not be available in 2020. Speaker of the house? Nancy's term-limited unless she is reelected by 2/3 of the vote.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

2. Good for Swalwell... I'll be interested in more of what he has to say if he decides to run.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. OK, I'm gonna say it

Unlike many of the other Democratic Congressional Representatives who have appeared on MSNBC to comment on Trump and the Mueller probe and Congressional oversight efforts, Swalwell has always seemed to me to be auditioning for higher office, using it as an opportunity for personal advancement. I haven't felt that way about Ted Lieu, or Jackie Spier, or Adam Schiff for example. I've felt this way for a long time about him. Of course I know he is part of our team fighting the good fight against Trump. I have no dispute with him on issues that I know of yet. Just something about him that has been off putting to me.

[Zoonart]

5. They are ALL auditioning.

All of the money and TV face time is in presidential politics.We are living in an arms race for attention, where all of our best intentions are weaponized against us and everyone with a pulse among Democratic office holders are tinkering with a run for the White House.

Voters will be whipsawed between candidates as the right begins to pick them apart. Divide and conquer...it is as old as time.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Yeah, I know

And I know that everyone who runs for President has, let's say, a healthy ego. Until it crosses over into being too healthy an ego. Fine lines everywhere. I tend to be guarded about supporting people running for President who, in my opinion, don't have sufficient experience or a strong track record of leadership. Swalwell has been in the House for six years, equal to one U.S. Senate term. Before that his only elected position was on a Town Council for two years. He has not served in any House leadership role. He is not the Chair of any House Committee, though he does Chair one Subcommittee.

I'm just sharing my initial gut reaction to him personally based on my limited exposure to him so far.

[Zoonart]

9. It's going to be a wild ride...

and not in a good way.

[Hortensis]

13. Not true, though. By far most house members will never run

for higher office. That goes especially for those who've attained leadership positions of real power after years of working toward them. We may see them all just some giant crowd in a lower house, but that's not who they are.

Most Democrats genuinely believe in what they are doing right where they are (BIG difference from today's anti-government Republicans) and look forward eagerly to being the majority party so they can put their plans to work. Almost all departures are for private life.

[samnsara]

6. i wish we could roll all these candidates into one...

[lostnfound]

15. Me too, so many great choices!

Not sure I could make a choice at this point. Glad I’m not in an early primary state.

[NurseJackie]

7. I like him. He'll go far. He has a bright future ahead.

Depending on who actually gets the nomination, he might be a strong contender on the "short list" for VP selections.

We have an abundance of riches this election season. So many great DEMOCRATS to choose from... why look anywhere else?

[oasis]

10. Smart guy, strong voice on important issues. Good luck Eric.

[MoonRiver]

12. I like him!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. I like him very much. He's unlikely to win, but I'd still vote for him.

This should at least raise his profile even further.

[demmiblue]

16. He is one of my favorite politicians.

Now, if Stacey Abrams throws her name in, I think I will go . So many great politicians on our side!