Irish-American politician opposed to ‘coronation’ of Hillary Clinton
“Martin is definitely running. No question”, said Stella O’Leary, president of the Irish American Democrats lobby group, who is close to Clinton and O’Malley.
Another source said his decision could come by May.
O’Malley himself has made it clear for some time that he is considering a challenge and has said he would make up his mind in the spring.
Since then he has upped the ante on Clinton and recently said of a possible match-up between her and Republican Jeb Bush: “The presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between two families.”
He also hinted that a Clinton nomination is not necessarily a sure thing.
“History is full of times when the inevitable frontrunner is inevitable right up until he or she is no longer inevitable,” he said.
The notion of a “Clinton coronation” is also something that concerns New York lawyer and Clinton supporter Brian O’Dwyer.
“Americans don’t like coronations. They want to see their politicians work hard for a nomination so her job is to go out there and work for it,” he said.
“I think O’Malley will run,” he added. “I also think it’s important for Hillary to go through the primaries [before the 2016 Democratic nomination]. It’s important that she should go out there and fight for it.
“Martin has important things to say and I think his voice should be heard.”
And, just days before Clinton’s announcement yesterday, a Bloomberg poll found almost three-quarters of Democrats and Independents believe it would be a good thing for her and for the party if she faces a challenger.
Other possible contenders are former Virginia senator Jim Webb as well as vice-president Joe Biden.
However, unlike both of them, O’Malley has been out on the stump a number of times in Iowa, the first state that will vote next January in the Democratic race.
He is not well known outside the US east coast however, and trails in polls as a challenger to the Clinton juggernaut but he has strong credentials as a two-term governor of Maryland.
O’Malley, now 52, is well respected in the Irish-American community.
His great grandfather was of Galway stock, emigrating to America in the 1880s from the village of Kilmilkin in the heart of Connemara.
He is also well keyed in to Irish history, culture and music and is a frequent visitor to Ireland.
