Here's what to expect from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock during his first 2020 debate performance

Steve Bullock.
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

So you finally memorized all the names and faces involved in the last round of 2020 Democratic primary debates. Well, not to burst your bubble, but there will actually be one new face on the stage for Tuesday night's debate in Detroit: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

Bullock is a well-respected figure, who is best known for having won an election as a Democrat in a red state, not wanting to talk about his alligator boots, and turning down requests to run for a Senate seat instead.

So, what to expect from the rookie, as he jumps into Tuesday's scramble? The New York Times reports that Bullock's central campaign message is that, if elected, he'll sign an executive order requiring companies to disclose their political contributions in order to be eligible for federal contracts. And he's walked the walk in that regard so far in his career. As Montana's governor, he worked with the state's Republican lawmakers to require political action committee's to identify their donors.

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Politico writes that if Bullock, who likely won't have much time to talk on Tuesday, wants to make a lasting impression as a latecomer, he should focus on his push for campaign finance reform, as well as his record of expanding Medicaid. The Los Angeles Times reports that his criticism of dark money in politics could play well with voters, since it's a "hot-button issue" for a lot of voters, but the paper also notes that several other Democratic candidates have also made campaign finance reform an important part of their pitch to voters.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.