Reports in the US media suggest the mayor would be well backed should he aim for the White House.
Eric Garcetti, the current mayor of Los Angeles, is said to be eager to become the first city mayor to be elected president.
Bookies have him down as a serious long shot in the 2020 presidential election market, with one pricing him at 40/1 while another has him way out at 100/1.
Despite being such a lofty price, he is attracting punting attention with 25% of all bets in the last 24 hours, as money continues to pour in on Garcetti.
Drawing some parallels to Barack Obama before he ran back in 2007, Garcetti doesn’t boast much of a national profile. However, his popularity within his city and strong backing from peers are fuelling the fire of his possible ambitions for 2020.
The field of Democratic candidates is likely to be a busy one, with the likes of Beto O’Rourke (15/2), Joe Biden (16/1) and Bernie Sanders (28/1) all high up in the market as possible contenders for the presidency.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Warren (20/1) could be the one to do what Hillary Clinton couldn’t and become the first female president of the United States.
Garcetti, who is of Mexican-American and Russian-Jewish descent, is seen by close supporters as the ideal individual to restore balance and inclusivity to the United States in place of Donald Trump. If a complete departure from Trump’s America is what the public choose come 2020, he could enter the frame as a worthy replacement.
Oddschecker spokesperson George Elek: “In many ways the polar opposite to Donald Trump, calls for Garcetti to run for the presidency represent the views of many disgruntled and alienated Americans.”
“He’d have to shrug off being branded as ‘Tinseltown’s’ candidate if he wanted to appeal more broadly in the States, but his reception as LA mayor could speak volumes if the public mood shifts.”
