Sherrod Brown announces tour of early-voting primary states
As he mulls the possibility of a presidential run, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown announced he's launching what he's calling a "Dignity Tour" of early primary states to promote his policy positions.
"Dignity of work means hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are or what kind of work you do," he said in a release Tuesday night. "When work has dignity, everyone can afford health care, education and housing. They have power over their schedules and the economic security to start a family, pay for daycare and college, take time off to care for themselves or their families when they are sick, and save for retirement."
Brown plans to visit Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -- all states that are early in the presidential primary schedule for the 2020 elections.
He soared to re-election in November, even as Republicans claimed all other statewide elected seats. He is known for his populist economic positions, and his distrust of free trade. Brown has not ruled out a presidential run, and he has also not announced an exploratory committee -- at least for now. Should he make the leap, he would be joining a few other Capitol Hill colleagues -- including two women senators, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and now, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
She announced Tuesday night that she was launching an exploratory committee for president. Gillibrand threw her hat in the ring for the Democratic nomination in an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" airing Tuesday.
"Yes. I'm filing an exploratory committee for president of the United States — tonight," she said.
"I'm going to run for president of the United States, because as a young mom, I'm going to fight for other people's kids as hard as I would fight for my own," Gillibrand said. She mentioned her support for universal health care, public school and job training programs.
Katie Ross Dominick contributed to this report.
