As Hillary Clinton faces scrutiny about emails sent while secretary of state, a Democrat who might run against her for the party’s presidential nomination is ramping up campaign activity with plans to make an appearance at a presidential forum this week.
Former Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb plans to speak Tuesday at the presidential forum of the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington D.C., an aide tells The Daily Caller.
The 2015 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The organization’s forum for possible presidential candidates is set for Tuesday.
According to organizers, the conference will “include one of the nation’s first presidential forums featuring prospective 2016 presidential candidates from both political parties.”
Clinton, who is preparing for another run for president, is not listed online as one of the speakers at the summit.
On Tuesday, several Republican presidential hopefuls, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, plan to speak to attendees. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will also address the crowd by pre-recorded video, according to organizers.
Webb — the former secretary of the Navy — announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee in November, arguing that “Americans want positive, visionary leadership that they can trust.”
But at least in public, Webb hasn’t been very visible since then: he hasn’t made many public appearances or done much media since announcing his exploratory committee.
Should he run, it’s not yet clear how Webb — who would certainly be a long-shot in a race against Clinton — would portray himself in a Democratic primary. In his video announcing his exploratory committee, he didn’t mention Clinton by name, but has signaled he would work to appeal to working class voters.