Author Marianne Williamson "looking into" 2020 presidential bid
New York Times bestselling author Marianne Williamson traveled to Iowa earlier this week reportedly to explore the possibility of a presidential run in 2020, according to a prominent Democratic activist in the state.
Tom Henderson, the former chair of a local Democratic association, told CBS News Friday that Williamson was traveling "out here in Iowa exploring the idea" of a 2020 bid.
"She's not an official candidate," Henderson said, adding that Williamson told him she was "researching" Iowa politics.
Williamson, 66, is a well-known New Age author who has penned highly-acclaimed books including spiritual guide "A Return to Love" and, most recently, "Tears to Triumph: The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment."
Williamson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Guardian reported that Williamson held meetings in both Iowa's capital city, Des Moines, and rural Fairfield, the home of Maharishi University of Management, a known hub for transcendental meditation.
A 2020 bid would not be Williamson's first stab at a political career. The author ran for a congressional seat in the 33rd district of California in 2014 as an independent. She spent nearly $2 million on her campaign and attracted 13 percent of the vote in the June primary election, earning her fourth place.
If she were to run, Williamson would throw her hat into a ring of potential Democratic candidates, including Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, and possibly Joe Biden. Late last month, President Trump told CBS News' Jeff Glor it would be a "dream" to run against the former vice president in 2020.
"President Obama took him out of the garbage heap, and everybody was shocked that he did. I'd love to have it be Biden," Trump said in the July interview.
Biden has said he will make a decision about whether he'll run by January.
Other celebrity names have been floated as potential candidates, such as Oprah Winfrey, but none have officially announced or been reported to take actions towards considering a 2020 run. In February, Oprah told 60 Minutes Overtime correspondent Ann Silivio that she is not running for president but is "humbled" that "people think that I could be the leader of the free world."
"It's just not in my spirit," Winfrey said.
