Dem: We’re ‘locked in behind’ Clinton

Democrats are “pretty much locked in behind” a Hillary Clinton candidacy in 2016, according to Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

“It’s always — we are all — it’s always healthy to have a challenge in a political primary and in a general election, for that matter,” said Cleaver, while appearing on Fox News’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on Thursday.

“But I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he continued. “I think the Democratic Party is pretty much locked in behind Secretary Clinton. And I don’t see anybody coming…”

{mosads}Cleaver did note that it’s possible Clinton will opt out of the race — and said she hadn’t spoken to him personally about her intentions.

“So, she has not said to anybody who is talking that she is in fact going to run,” he said. “So it may not be too early. We may all be out talking about her, and she is ready to do grand-mama duty.”

While Clinton, should she decide to run, would immediately become the party’s front-runner, other Democrats have said they might challenge her.

Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb has launched an exploratory committee for a potential bid, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has said that Clinton’s thinking will not play into his own decision on a run.

But other potential challengers have appeared to stay away from the race. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has said repeatedly she isn’t running — though that hasn’t stopped an effort by liberal groups to draft her into the race.

Clinton is reportedly assembling a team that can spring into action if she runs, including polling gurus from the Obama campaign and a group of Clinton loyalists.