Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri Won’t Rule Out 2016 Run

[Purveyor]

By KATIE GLUECK | 2/21/14 1:54 PM EST Updated: 2/21/14 2:25 PM EST

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri on Friday didn’t rule running for president in 2016 if Hillary Clinton does not, stressing the importance of a “voice” for the “heartland” of the country.

Nixon is a supporter of the former secretary of state’s, but he has been a subject of some presidential speculation back home.

He laughingly dismissing those headlines as just attempts at being “provocative,” he said at POLITICO’s fourth annual State Solutions Conference that he’s “focused on running the state of Missouri.”

“I do think the heartland deserves a voice, whatever party it is, whatever policy it is, in a national election,” he added. “ I want to make sure the center part of this country has a clear voice.”

President Barack Obama did not make a significant play for Missouri in 2012, but Nixon said the Midwest is still open to Democrats.

“There’s still a wide avenue to run as a moderate, centrist, somebody-who-thinks-about-working-people-every-day Democrat in the heartland,” he said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/jay-nixon-2016-103780.html#ixzz2tzhjknsB

[greymattermom]

1. must be running for Vice-President

eom

[davidpdx]

2. I wouldn't vote for him

The heartland only deserves a voice if it is a progressive one.

[demwing]

3. Heartland...

moderate voice, centrist, heartland. Working people, heartland every day centrist Democrat in the heartland, moderate.

Centrist? Heartland voice every day, Democrat!

Working heartland, people heartland, every moderate Democrat in the centrist heartland.

[hrmjustin]

4. Should be interesting. Don't know much about him.

[craigmatic]

5. He could probably win the general election but wouldn't be able to win the nomination.

Still, between O'Malley, Biden, Schweitzer, Cuomo, and him there is a pretty strong democratic bench.

[Beacool]

7. You omitted the top name in that bench.

[DFW]

6. A Democratic ticket containing the name Nixon

Now wouldn't THAT be the height of irony?

[SmittynMo]

8. I'm from MO and I wish him luck. But,

it isn't going to happen.

[LiberalFighter]

9. He has about much chance as Evan Bayh of becoming President let alone VP.

NIL

Evan Bayh would have a difficult time of becoming Governor of Indiana or its Senator again. The voters that supported him in the past were getting wise to him.