20 Democrats who are likely to run in 2020

17. Mitch Landrieu

Mitch Landrieu, mayor of New Orleans from 2010 until 2018, seems to be busy denying any political pretensions to the White House. Though this summer, he had shrugged off the question of a presidential run with a “never say never,” interviews from the same time period have him pretty skeptical.

In 2017, Landrieu drew attention when he called for the removal of four Confederate monuments in his city. At that time, the matter of states, plinths, plaques, and other memorials to the Confederacy was at the top of the national mind. Protestors were arguing against their continued existence, saying that it glorified a rebellious breakaway state that was itself in favor of owning slaves. Proponents claimed that it was more a matter of local pride and historical accuracy (though many of the monuments were actually constructed during the Civil Rights era).

With his stance, Landrieu drew a lot of attention from all portions of the political spectrum. With his strong points of view and frequently visible intellectualism, could he be another callback to Obama in the age of Trump?

But Landrieu, who has dealt with all manner of natural and political disasters while in office, isn’t sure. He’s helped to rebuild the coastal city of New Orleans after hurricanes and flooding, such as in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Some of those moves have brought controversy, which could hurt his ambitions.

When asked about if said ambitions include the presidency, Landrieu told a reporter that “I’m not trying to be, you know, be evasive here. The answer to your question is: I do not know. I don’t know.”