20 Democrats who are likely to run in 2020

15. Steve Bullock

There are plenty of big names that are already being tossed around when it comes to the 2020 election. Given that we’re barely less than two years out from the actual voting, this whole process of picking out favorites and front runners is pretty tricky. Big names can fade, scandals can torch careers, and voters can simply lose interest if someone doesn’t make big enough waves. Meanwhile, people can appear seemingly out of nowhere. In 1974, barely anyone knew who Jimmy Carter was, beyond a former peanut farmer and small-time politician. Yet, only two years later, Carter was President of the United States.

The point is, almost anything can happen in the course of a measly 20 months or so. That’s why apparent dark horse candidates are worth a mention.

Steve Bullock, current Governor of Montana, could be one of those out-of-left-field candidates. He’s a Democratic governor in what is a generally very red, very Republican state, so that speaks largely to his moderate views. That could be a boost to a future campaign, where he might need to appeal to a wide range of people. Then again, that could also hurt his chances at a nomination if current trends for more progressive politics continue.

In his favor, Bullock is a pretty seasoned politician without any major scandals to his name. He’s served a term as Attorney General of Montana and two more terms as the state’s governor. Bullock also has some nicely left-of-center bills that he has helped to push through the state legislature. These include measures to increase the Montana education budget, provide equal pay for women, expand Medicaid, and requiring more transparency when it comes to campaign contributions.