Oprah is 'actively thinking' about a presidential campaign in 2020

Citing two sources in her inner circle, CNN reported Monday that Oprah Winfrey is in fact debating a presidential run in 2020. The network additionally reported that her friends “have been privately urging her to run" and that the television mogul is "actively thinking" about the idea.

CNN's story comes a day after Winfrey gave a powerful speech at Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, where she was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. In her remarks, Winfrey expressed admiration for journalists and railed against the scourge of sexual assault, leading to rampant speculation — and some excitement — for her hypothetical candidacy. CNN noted that Winfrey's partner, Stedman Graham, told the Los Angeles Times that Winfrey "would absolutely [run]," though he did caution that "it's up to the people."

Winfrey made her name in Hollywood during her 25 years as the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, though she's gone on to pursue various other enterprises. Her name-recognition isn't the only thing that could make her a strong candidate; she also has a reported net worth of $2.8 billion, which would be a significant boost for her hypothetical coffers.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

If Winfrey were to run as a Democrat, she would enter what is expected to be a deep field of candidates that may include Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as former Vice President Joe Biden. A poll conducted last March showed Winfrey leading President Trump by seven points in a hypothetical head-to-head presidential election in 2020.