Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) attempted to appeal to voters with his best “dad joke” Tuesday shortly after becoming the latest Democrat to jump into the 2020 presidential primary race.
“So, mama buffalo is dropping baby buffalo off at school, and you know what he says?” Bullock asked during a campaign stop in Helena, Mt.
“Bye, son,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The red-state Democrat announced his presidential bid early Tuesday, becoming the 22nd candidate in a crowded field vying for the party’s 2020 nomination.
Bullock, in a campaign video posted online, sought to cast himself as a highly electable candidate after winning the governorship in a state Trump won by 20 points.
{mosads} “As a Democratic governor of a state Trump won by 20 points, I don’t have the luxury of just talking to people who agree with me,” Bullock said. “We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020, and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people’s voice.”
Bullock is also seeking to portray himself as a Democrat who knows how to connect with rural voters who have left the party in recent years, as well as a champion for campaign finance reform.
The long-shot candidate has an uphill battle to vie for a spot at the first Democratic presidential debates, which are just over a month away. He does not have wide name recognition outside of Montana, but does have relationships to prominent donors.
Bullock, 53, has served in state government for the last 11 years, first as attorney general and then for two terms as governor. He won reelection in 2016 with 50.3 percent of the vote.