Rep. Seth Moulton jumps into Democratic presidential contest

(Image credit: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for TIME)

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) became the 19th Democrat to join the 2020 Democratic race on Monday, declaring the field "wide open" and saying he planned to focus on national security and defense issues. Moulton is also the third presidential candidate from Massachusetts — following Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) and former Gov. William Weld (R) — and like South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, he's a combat veteran. He last made national news leading an unsuccessful leadership challenge against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

"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 his campaign launch video. "We've never been a country that gets everything right. But we're a country that, at our best, thinks that we might." He will be on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show Monday night and plans to hit all four early voting states this week, starting with New Hampshire on Tuesday.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.