From Washington State to Washington, D.C.?

Washington State governor Jay Inslee  has all but made it clear that he's running for President.  He joins Oregon senator Jeff Merkley, Colorado senator Michael Bennet, and California senator Kamala Harris as likely 2020 Democratic presidential candidates vying to be the party's first presidential nominee from the West - a distinction Gary Hart came tantalizingly close to achieving.

Not only is Inslee the only governor in this select pack, he is planning to make the need to do something about climate change the centerpiece of his campaign, something that's sure to attract younger voters.  Unfortunately, there's nothing else in his record to suggest that he can attract those same voters, assuming they're inclined to even vote.  Inslee is a competent governor with a solid record on all of the issues Democrats care about, but his policy positions are mostly the sort that inspire traditional Democratic boiler-plate talking points.  That might be enough to win a general election, but it wouldn't necessarily help Inslee in the primaries and caucuses.       

In short, he's betting on enough people to care about climate change to give his campaign momentum.  Considering all of the extreme weather we've been having in this country lately, though, that might actually be sure thing.