Delany, 55, was the first Democrat to announce his intention to run for president – he made the announcement in 2017. The three-term congressman from Maryland, whose business ventures netted him a $200 million fortune, has spent time in the state, establishing a base and repeating the message he hopes will resonate with Iowans in advance of the caucus that takes place in a year.
Delaney's message is simple – ending Trump's "divisive agenda" is a top priority, and that he feels he can put together a coalition of "progressives, moderates, independents, and disaffected Republicans who care deeply about their country" to win the White House.
Delaney said he is prepared to spend $20 million to $30 million of his own money on the campaign, according to a Washington Post profile.
Here is what you may not know about Delaney:
- He was born on Aug. 16, 1963, in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.
- He graduated from Columbia University and Georgetown Law Center.
- He started two companies – Health Care Financial Partners in 1993 and CapitalSource in 2000. Health Care Financial Partners made loans available to smaller-sized health care service providers, and CapitalSource provided loans to small and mid-sized companies.
- With Health Care Financial Partners, Delaney was the youngest CEO on the New York Stock Exchange.
- In 2004 he was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
- He is a fan of Bruce Springsteen and has seen him in concert more than 30 times, according to his website.
- In 2012, he was elected to Congress representing Maryland's 6th Congressional District. He was re-elected in 2014 and 2016.
- He co-sponsored Open Our Democracy Act, a bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday, make all congressional primary elections open elections so all eligible voters can vote in them, and require independent commissions to draw any new state congressional districts.
- On July 28, 2017, Delaney announced his run for president in 2020 in a Washington Post op-ed.
- He left Congress in January 2019.
- He is married, and he and his wife, April, have four daughters.
- He is Catholic.
According to his website, Delaney is campaigning on promises to:
- Overturn Citizens United
- Have the president debate the Congress every quarter in the U.S. Capitol
- Create a universal health care system
- Provide universal pre-K, free community college/career and technical training
- Raise the federal minimum wage to $15.00
- Create a new supplemental retirement savings program
- Launch a national AI strategy
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