Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown Won't Run For President

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, announced Thursday that he will not be running for president in 2020.

Brown, who recently conducted a multistate "dignity of work" tour, announced that he decided "the best way for him to continue his fight for workers is by serving Ohio in the U.S. Senate."

Brown was re-elected to the Senate last fall and has been one of the few Democrats to win a statewide race in Ohio in recent years, raising hopes among some in the party that he could carry his home state against President Trump.

In his announcement, Brown said he "will keep calling out Donald Trump and his phony populism," and he will "keep fighting for all workers across the country.

Brown is the third Democrat considering a presidential campaign to decide against it this week. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he would not join an already crowded Democratic field, as did Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley.

Meanwhile, Democrats are eagerly awaiting a decision from former Vice President Joe Biden, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke and several other possible candidates.

Brown, 66, might have brought the crossover appeal to independents that Biden may pitch, and he would have occupied a similar populist, anti-free trade lane as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. In his statement, Brown said he thought his message was being picked up by other candidates.

"We've seen candidates begin taking up the dignity of work fight, and we have seen voters across the country demanding it — because dignity of work is a value that unites all of us. It is how we beat Trump, and it is how we should govern," he said.

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