20 Democrats who are likely to run in 2020

9. Chris Murphy

Senator Chris Murphy might not seem like anyone of note on your list, currently, but he has come to the attention of a pretty significant potential opponent: the current White House administration.

Murphy, along with fellow Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown (Ohio), John Hickenlooper, and Mark Cuban, was on a reported shortlist of four potential opponents compiled by then-strategist Steve Bannon in 2017. Though Bannon has since left the White House and is apparently on the outs with the current president, that list might still be in play.

The four above-mentioned political figures are generally outspoken Democrats. They have been so outspoken, in fact, that the White House sort-of-not-really decided to keep tabs on them.

We’ve already talked about two others figures on that list, but why should Murphy be included? He’s a junior senator from Connecticut. Yet, that hasn’t stopped him from speaking out against Trump-led orders, especially when it comes to immigration and gun reform. Like Sherrod Borwn, Murphy could also potentially raise a lot of money and support, and not just within the confines of his own state.

Murphy has also gotten involved in state-level races, stumping for candidates in Connecticut in an effort to flip as many seats for Democrats as possible. With the successful Democratic bid for control in the House of Representatives, Murphy might be able to point to this move as a way of signalling his party support. That could help, assuming that party officials still have some measure of power when it comes to picking candidates.

Prior to the midterms, Murphy said he wasn’t focused on 2020. He was running for his own re-election, after all, so it made sense that he didn’t want to already cast doubts on his focus at home. Now, with a successful win, could he start to pivot towards a bigger race?