Seth Moulton Running For President

SALEM, MA — Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who went from denying he had any interest in running for president in 2020 to an announcement earlier this year that he was seriously considering a run, went one step further Monday morning. The Salem Democrat released a video declaring that he had officially joined a crowded field of Democrats seeking the party's nomination in next year's Presidential election.

"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 the video.

Moulton becomes the 20th candidate to declare he is running for the Democratic nomination. That field does not include former Vice President Joe Biden who, despite not having entered the race, is seen is the front runner.

In his announcement video, Moulton listed climate change, cutting defense spending and protect America from Russian cyber attacks as key issues. Moulton was elected to a third term in Congress in November and almost immediately made headlines after his reelection by initially opposing Nancy Pelosi's election as Speaker of the House. That move, while potentially politically costly, was seen as reinforcing Moulton's message of distancing himself from Democratic insiders and pushing for fresher faces in the party's leadership.

Moulton faces long odds in the race. His campaign has $722,801, compared to $17.9 million for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), $10.5 million for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and $40.8 million for President Donald Trump.

"Decades of division and corruption have broken our democracy and robbed Americans of their voice. It’s all led to an administration that’s turned away from our values and is shredding our moral authority," Moulton said in his announcement video. "We have 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."

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).