Gutiérrez makes moves toward presidential run: report

Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) is thinking about running for president.

Gutiérrez, who announced earlier this week that he will not run for reelection to Congress, told Politico that he is not retiring and is taking early steps toward a 2020 bid.

“I will be reaching out to people across the country,” he told Politico. “I am going to take the steps to guarantee [Federal Election Commission] regulations and rules about campaign financing, first and foremost, make sure I’m following the law …  I want to build something national.”

Gutiérrez has been a fierce advocate for immigration reform and told Politico that Democrats “didn’t do enough” to reach out to immigrant communities in the last election.

“I think I can bring a new set of eyes to the situation,” he said.

{mosads}Gutiérrez has held his seat since 1993, and his political ally Cook County Commissioner Jesús García has agreed to run for his vacant House seat.

Gutiérrez has also been a harsh critic of President Trump, especially during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. 

The lawmaker told Politico that he and his wife plan to tour the country, a typical move in the early stages of a presidential run.

“We’re going to talk, and I’m going to hear,” he said. “Maybe there’s a lot of enthusiasm for it. Maybe in six months I’ll come back and say, no.”