O’Malley: No one’s ‘inevitable’ for 2016

Former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-Md.) on Sunday scoffed at the notion that any Democrat was a lock for his party’s 2016 presidential nomination.

{mosads}“History is full of times where the inevitable front-runner is inevitable until they’re no longer inevitable anymore,” O’Malley said.

Former first lady Hillary Clinton is widely considered the party’s front-runner heading into 2016.

O’Malley also criticized the idea of presidential dynasties in politics. He said that neither Clinton nor former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.), a likely GOP candidate, were especially qualified for the Oval Office due to their family ties.

“The presidency is not some crown to be passed between two families,” O’Malley said, referencing earlier White House administrations under Bush’s and Clinton’s relatives.

The former governor also said Americans craved a president who better represented their interests.

“We need a president who is on our side,” he said. “We have to be about putting the national interest above special interests.”

“It’s not about being for or against any other candidate,” he added. “It’s about what’s best for our country.”

O’Malley said he would decide on his presidential aspirations by spring. Neither he nor Clinton has formally announced campaigns just yet.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Monday became the first major candidate for the 2016 election from either party. The GOP lawmaker revealed his campaign during a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), meanwhile, is rumored to have April 13 marked as his campaign’s launch date.

Additionally, Sens. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) are often mentioned as potential rivals for Clinton or O’Malley on the Democratic ticket.