Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says he's not running for president in 2020
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced he is not running for president at a press conference at City Hall Tuesday evening amid months of speculation regarding about a potential bid in 2020.
"I realize that this is what I am meant to do. This is where I want to be," Garcetti said about being mayor of Los Angeles. "I believe that whenever possible, you should finish the job you started out to do."
Garcetti had recently traveled to key primary states, indicating he was leaning towards running for the Democratic nomination. In April, he went to Iowa to meet with Democratic activists. He made two trips to New Hampshire in as many months, and also traveled to Nevada and South Carolina.
"Over the last year I have traveled through America, and I have witnessed an American awakening," Garcetti said, calling it "quite a contrast" to what is occurring in Washington, D.C. He also gave a statement on why he was not running for president in Spanish.
Garcetti said he felt confident about his decision in part because of all the candidates jumping into the race, whom he called "friends, colleagues, and even fellow mayors." He said he was "proud" and "excited" for the presidential candidacy of Sen. Kamala Harris, a fellow Californian, and his decision had nothing to do with her running for president.
When asked about candidates he liked in the race, Garcetti named Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Julián Castro, as well as Sen. Cory Booker and former Vice President Joe Biden, neither of whom has declared a presidential bid.
He joked he might run for president in the future, quipping: "Garcetti 2040." He did say "who knows" what the future holds for him politically.
Garcetti would have been one of several mayors in a crowded Democratic field. Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, jumped into the race at the end of January. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is also mulling a bid.
"I think mayors make good presidents," Garcetti said during his press conference.
Garcetti served on city council before he was elected mayor in 2013, becoming the first Jewish mayor in Los Angeles history. His administration has prioritized raising the minimum wage, improving transportation and addressing the homelessness crisis in the city.
On the national stage, Garcetti worked to rally more than 400 mayors to adopt the guidelines set in the Paris Climate Agreement after President Trump announced the U.S. would withdraw from the agreement.