Former Gov. O’Malley tests 2020 waters with poll

A political action committee affiliated with former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley polled Democratic caucus voters in Iowa, suggesting that the failed 2016 presidential contender might be considering trying again in 2020. 

O’Malley’s leadership PAC commissioned a Public Policy Polling survey earlier this month, according a POLITICO report.

Politico reports O’Malley lead the other potential Democratic candidates with 18 percent of the vote. Other candidates included Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and well-known business leaders like Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. 

{mosads}While most of the other candidates received less than 10 percent of the vote, Booker followed close behind O’Malley with 17 percent, while Klobuchar received 11 percent. Nearly a third of the polled Iowans voted “not sure.”

The poll didn’t include other high-profile potential Democratic hopefuls, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

Presidential hopefuls often focus on Iowa because, as the first contest in the Democratic primary, it can provide momentum for candidates in a crowded field.

O’Malley ran for the Democratic nomination in 2016, but he dropped out of the race after receiving little support in a race that became defined by the fight between Hillary Clinton and Sanders.

Dave Hamrick, O’Malley’s 2016 campaign manager, suggested that the poll would test whether the candidate had garnered support in Iowa during the 2016 election.

“Governor O’Malley spent a lot of time in Iowa during the campaign and made a very favorable impression on Iowa Democrats. We wanted to see if the conversations he started with Iowans resonated and are glad to learn that they did,” Hamrick said.