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Marine vet and Democratic rebel Seth Moulton joins 2020 race
Washington, April 22 (AFP) Apr 22, 2019
Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton announced on Monday he is seeking to become the youngest man ever to hold the office of US president, joining a packed field of Democrats lining up to take on Donald Trump.

The 40-year-old third-term congressman is one of the lesser-known faces in the race, but hit the headlines in November as one of the leaders of a group of rebel Democrats who tried to block Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker in the new House.

"I'm running because we have to beat Donald Trump, and I want us to beat Donald Trump because I love this country," Moulton said in an announcement video posted on his website.

"We've never been a country that gets everything right. But we're a country that, at our best, thinks that we might. I'd be honored if you join me in this mission."

Moulton becomes the 20th candidate in the Democratic party's most crowded primary in modern history

He joins more recognizable faces including Senator Elizabeth Warren, also of Massachusetts, Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders and California's Senator Kamala Harris.

Some 19 months before the 2020 election, the battle for the White House is already firming up, with opinion polls showing Trump's popularity dropping following the release of the Mueller report.

A 22-month-long investigation into Russian election interference by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller detailed 10 episodes of potential obstruction of justice by Trump, including his firing of FBI director James Comey and demands that Mueller himself be removed.

Moulton, as one of three veterans in the race -- Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and South Bend and Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg are the others -- touted his military experience as a reason he can beat Trump.

The Harvard-educated former Marine has repeatedly called for a "new generation of leadership" in the Democratic Party.

He was among the rank-and-file rebels who initially opposed Pelosi becoming speaker of the House following the Democrats' landslide victory in the 2018 midterm elections.

The move, also supported by fellow Democratic 2020 hopeful Tim Ryan, was unsuccessful and he ultimately supported her nomination.

As well as standing out for his youth, Moulton would be the first person elected president from a seat in the House since James Garfield in 1880.

In his announcement video he set out a campaign platform that prioritized tackling climate change, defending the United States against cyber attacks and strengthening the economy.

"We need to restore our moral authority in everything we do. Whether it's appointing a cabinet member, negotiating a treaty or signing an executive order, I will always uphold America's values," he said.


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