US election race: Gillibrand launches presidential bid

Kirsten Gillibrand (file picture)Image copyright
EPA

Kirsten Gillibrand has become the latest US Democrat to join a crowded race to be the party’s candidate for the 2020 presidential election.

The 52-year-old senator for New York announced her bid in an online video released on Sunday.

Fifteen other Democrats having already declared they will seek the nomination.

They include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders – who ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016 – and ex-Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke.

In the video launching her bid, Ms Gillibrand takes aim at President Donald Trump, saying: “Brave doesn’t pit people against each other. Brave doesn’t put money over lives. Brave doesn’t spread hate. Cloud truth. Build a wall. That’s what fear does.”

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On Saturday, former Vice-President Joe Biden dropped a major – but apparently accidental – hint that he wants to challenge Mr Trump in next year’s election.

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Media captionHas Mr Biden publicly announced his presidential bid?

Addressing Democrats in his home state of Delaware, he said his record was the most progressive “of anyone running for the United-” before correcting himself: “anybody who would run”.

The audience chanted “run Joe run”, while Mr Biden crossed himself and said: “I didn’t mean it!”

Speculation that Mr Biden would announce his candidacy has reached feverish levels.

source: bbc.com