Former Attorney General Eric Holder said tonight that he’ll be making a decision next year on whether he’ll vie for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential contest.
Since stepping down from the Justice Department during the Obama administration in 2015, Holder has led the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a party-affiliated nonprofit advocating for reforms to redistricting that Holder argues rigs elections in favor of Republicans.
“I’m thinking about it. I’m going to decide next year. Right now I’m focused on Nov. 6 and making sure we have a good midterm election,” Holder told CNN, clarifying that he expected to have a decision by the “first quarter of next year.”
“It’d be interesting to see — two guys from Queens,” he added when asked if he could defeat President Trump. “I know how to talk to that guy. I know Donny Trump. I know that guy.”
Host Chris Cuomo asked Holder if Dems should meet Trump at his level of attacks, or go high when he goes low.
“It’s a combination of both, but it’s time for Democrats to be tough,” Holder replied. “You can’t go into it just to make a statement. We have to go into the next contest with the idea that we want to win, and we’re going to do everything we have to do to win. Nothing inappropriate, nothing that’s illegal, but when you get hit, you hit back harder.”
Holder said he’s trying to ensure that redistricting after the 2020 Census is “a fair process — not gerrymandering for Democrats, just a fair process.”
“I think we should take this out of the hands of politicians altogether and have independent commissions that actually draw the lines,” he said, pointing to the process in California and Arizona and his group’s support for similar efforts in Michigan, Utah, Missouri and Colorado.
“Democrats have been thrilled about who’s at the top of the ticket and we have ignored people who are down-ballot,” Holder added.
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