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'{{Infobox U.S. federal election campaign|committee=Ojeda for President|logo=File:Ojeda_2020.png|campaign=[[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020]]|candidate='''[[Richard Ojeda]]'''<br>{{Small|[[West Virginia Senate|State Senator]] from [[West Virginia]] (2016–present)}}|status=Announced: November 11, 2018|cand_id=P00006213|fec_date=November 11, 2018|affiliation=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]|headquarters=[[Washington, DC]]|key_people=|treasurer=|receipts=|slogan="We Are Worthy"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://voteojeda.com/mission/|title=Mission|website=Richard Ojeda for President 2020|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref>|homepage=[https://voteojeda.com/ www.voteojeda.com]}}The '''2020 presidential campaign of [[Richard Ojeda]]''', member of the [[West Virginia Senate]] from the 7th district, was announced on November 11, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thedaonline.com/news/west-virginia-democrat-launches-bid/article_af1f8598-f687-11e8-a255-8f6421505f31.html|title=West Virginia Democrat launches 2020 bid|last=Editor|first=Joe Severino, News|website=The Daily Athenaeum - thedaonline|language=en|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Richard Ojeda|title=Richard Ojeda for President|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7l-lAO3tZs|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> Ojeda was the second office-holding Democrat to announce a campaign for the [[United States presidential election, 2020|2020 U.S. presidential election]], the first being Maryland Rep. [[John Delaney (Maryland politician)|John Delaney]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/richard-ojeda-slams-border-stunt-plots-2020-bid-1371319363620|title=Richard Ojeda slams border 'stunt,' plots 2020 bid|website=MSNBC.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> As no incumbent state legislator has ever mounted a serious bid for the presidency, Ojeda is considered a "longshot" and "underdog" candidate.<ref>{{Citation|last=Secular Talk|title=BREAKING: Richard Ojeda Running For President In 2020|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlTfjcJ77ls|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-a-trump-voter-from-west-virginia-win-the-2020-democratic-primary/|title=Can A Trump Voter From West Virginia Win The 2020 Democratic Primary?|last=Malone|first=Clare|date=2018-11-12|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> If elected, Ojeda would be the first [[West Virginia|West Virginian]] to become [[President of the United States]]. Ojeda would be the first combat veteran to be elected since President [[George H. W. Bush]] in [[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]. He would also be 50 years old on upon his inauguration in January, 2021, the seventh youngest President in history. == Background == Ojeda voted for Republican [[Donald Trump]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], [[Bernie or Bust|having been a supporter]] of [[Bernie Sanders]] in the [[2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries|Democratic primaries]]. Ojeda since emerged as an outspoken critic of the President, and was featured prominently in the [[Michael Moore]] documentary ''[[Fahrenheit 11/9]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/gazette_opinion/op_ed_commentaries/quiana-fulton-richard-ojeda-and-the-future-of-the-democratic/article_a8fe1e5b-bc5f-5d8b-b5f5-7ba14a33ba17.html|title=Quiana Fulton: Richard Ojeda and the future of the Democratic Party (Gazette Opinion)|last=Fulton|first=Quiana|website=Charleston Gazette-Mail|language=en|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msnbc.com/mtp-daily/watch/2020-candidate-richard-ojeda-believes-he-can-turn-trump-voters-back-to-the-democratic-party-1372894275920|title=2020 candidate Richard Ojeda believes he can turn Trump voters back to the Democratic party|website=MSNBC.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref>[[File:MAJ Richard Ojeda.jpg|left|thumb|Richard Ojeda military portrait.]] Ojeda attracted national attention when he became a vocal supporter of the [[2018 West Virginia teachers' strike]] and advocated the [[legalization of cannabis]] in the state. After improving Democratic results by 32 percentage points during his unsuccessful run against [[Carol Miller (politician)|Carol Miller]] in [[West Virginia's 3rd congressional district]] in the [[United States House of Representatives elections, 2018|2018 election]], Ojeda announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States on November 12, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Richard_Ojeda|title=Richard Ojeda|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> Politically Ojeda considers himself a [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]], but generally eschews political labels, saying in an interview with ''[[The Young Turks]]''<nowiki/>' [[Cenk Uygur|Cenk Uyger]]:<blockquote>"I think I'm pretty much a progressive for the most part, but I'm gonna be me; I'm gonna continue doing what I'm doing, I'm gonna continue fighting for the working class citizens, I'm gonna continue fighting for our sick, I'm gonna continue fighting for our veterans, I'm gonna do everything in my power to take care of our elderly, and do for our children out there, and I'm gonna try and create oppurtunities for those who live in poverty to elevate themselves out of poverty with a hand up. That's what I'm gonna do Regardless of what that's called, that's me."<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>His views have been likened more to [[left-wing populism]], running on a [[Single-payer healthcare|Medicare for all]], legalization of cannabis, anti-[[lobbyism]] and government accountability platform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/12/18087534/richard-ojeda-runs-for-president-west-virginia|title=Democrat Richard Ojeda, a champion of West Virginia’s teachers, says he is running for president|last=Campbell|first=Alexia Fernández|date=2018-11-12|website=Vox|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Secular Talk|title=Richard Ojeda's Policies|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8wDkEXMoc|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> == Campaigning == === Announcement rally === Ojeda launching his presidential campaign with his first official rally in a union hall in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], a city that, according to an aide, was chosen to to invoke the fighting spirit of Louisville native, boxer [[Muhammad Ali]]. Ojeda announced with a fierce pledge to supporters, saying "I will never sell you out," to a crowd consisting mainly of union members and teachers like those he rallied for in the [[2018 West Virginia teachers' strike|2018 strike]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/richard-ojeda-isnt-like-other-democrats-is-that-good.html|title=Richard Ojeda Isn’t Like Other Democrats. Is That a Good Thing?|last=Raymond|first=Adam K.|date=November 20, 2018|website=New York Magazine|archive-url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/11/richard-ojeda-isnt-like-other-democrats-is-that-good.html|archive-date=December 31, 2018|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref> == Political positions == === Abortion === While being personally not in favor of abortion, Ojeda is staunchly in favor of abortion rights. He has also stated he would "quadruple" funding to [[Planned Parenthood]]<ref name=":0">{{Citation|last=The Young Turks|title=Richard Ojeda's Presidential Bid Gains Steam!|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpGGITdMl3M|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> === Corruption and campaign finance === Ojeda has made anti-corruption the focal point of his campaign.<ref name=":0" /> Ojeda has posited requiring bodycams on lobbyists in order to increase government financial transparency, as well as being a supporter of [[Wolf PAC|WolfPAC]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Secular Talk|title=Richard Ojeda's Policies|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8wDkEXMoc|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref> Ojeda has pledged not to take corporate donations in his campaign.<ref name=":1" /> === Political "Mission" === Ojeda has pledged the following on his website:<blockquote>"1.) Anyone who is elected to Federal public office, or is appointed to the Cabinet, must sacrifice any net worth over a million dollars to charity of their choice (a real charity, not some family foundation run by their kids).</blockquote><blockquote>2.) After they retire from public office, they will collect a $130,000 pension per year.  They can make another $120,000, on their own, for a total of $250,000 per year maximum for life, subject to automatic yearly cost of living adjustments.  If you really want to sell your country out to big pharma, all you can get in return for your soul is $120,000.  </blockquote><blockquote>3.) Elected officials will have the same healthcare package options as everyday Americans."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://voteojeda.com/mission/|title=Mission|website=Richard Ojeda for President 2020|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref></blockquote> == References == <references /> [[Category:2020 United States Democratic Party presidential campaigns]]'