Billionaire Environmental Activist Tom Steyer Considers Run For Barbara Boxer's Senate Seat
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer says he expects to decide soon if he will enter the contest to succeed U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in California.
Steyer's announcement Tuesday came shortly after state Attorney General Kamala Harris became the first Democratic candidate to declare she'll run to replace the four-term senator.
Steyer - a Democrat - has been holding meetings and making calls on a potential campaign for the seat in 2016.
The 57-year-old former hedge fund manager says in a statement on his blog on The Huffington Post that Washington needs "climate champions" who will fight for the next generation.
The 50-year-old Harris is a former two-term San Francisco district attorney. Her quick entry into the race appears designed to discourage potential challengers and give her a jump-start on fundraising.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.