One of the key figures in attacking Trump over his immigration policies that have led to children being taken away from their parents is Kamala Harris – Senator from California.

She’s high profile and articulate and inevitably is being pressed about whether she might run for White House in 2020. Harris — the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India — is very much seen as a defender of immigrants.

So in her appearance before the cameras, after visiting an immigration detention centre in San Diego, inevitably saw her being questioned about her intentions.

At this stage, eighteen months before the first primaries, potential contenders don’t like to make their intentions public – that will come in nine months or so – but a “not ruling out” is very much seen as saying as a pointer that they could run.

There’s little doubt that Trump has been damaged by his initial hardline approach to illegal immigrants which led to him backing down – something in itself which is quite remarkable.

The other prominent potential Democratic contenders are Senator Bernie Sanders, who would be 78 at the time of the election, and Senator Elizabeth Warren. The former played a prominent part in the last race but there comes a stage when you are just too old.

There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge but the next White House race will soon be upon us and the betting is building up.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB

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