Jesse Ventura says he’s ‘testing the waters’ for Green Party bid for president

Jesse Ventura, who served as Minnesota governor as a member of the Reform Party, said Monday that he is “testing the waters” for a potential 2020 run for president on the Green Party ticket.

In a pair of tweets, the former wrestling star, who has repeatedly floated a White House bid, said he endorses the Green Party’s platform and had authorized a letter to the party signaling his interest in running for its presidential nomination.

“OK, I’ve decided I’m going to test the waters. IF I were going to run for president, the GREEN party would be my first choice. I’ve endorsed the party and I’m testing the waters,” Ventura tweeted.

To be clear: I haven’t filed anything. I authorized a letter of interest that was sent on my behalf to the Greens and I’m testing the waters for Green Party nomination. I’m an independent. I’m not a Democrat or a Republican because I know they’re not the solution.

— Jesse Ventura (@GovJVentura) April 27, 2020

If he entered the race, Ventura would be one of several declared candidates for the Green Party’s nomination. The hopeful currently leading the pack is Howie Hawkins, a New York trade unionist and activist who co-founded the Green Party and is already endorsed by the Socialist Party, another third party.

Ventura said in an interview with TMZ in 2018 that he was considering a run as an independent and echoed those ambitions in an interview with a Los Angeles news station last year. Ventura claimed at the time that he would easily defeat President Trump in a head-to-head match-up.

“If I do do it, Trump will not have a chance,” Ventura said in 2018.

“For one, Trump knows wrestling. He participated in two Wrestlemanias. He knows he can never out-talk a wrestler, and he knows I’m the greatest talker wrestling’s ever had,” he said.