A Wall Street-heavy donor group has held private listening sessions with Democrats weighing 2028 presidential bids, including Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Govs. Andy Beshear (Kentucky) and Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), the Wall Street Journal reported.
Centerview Partners co-founder Blair Effron; SSW Partners partner Joshua Steiner; former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, now chairman of private equity firm Warburg Pincus; Blackstone Vice Chairman Tom Nides; and former Oracle President Charles Phillips are among the executives in the group, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke with the Journal.
In April, Emanuel met with four veteran investors to pitch a potential presidential run, including hedge-fund manager John Petry and Boykin Curry, a former managing director at investment firm Eagle Capital.
"John Petry reached out to me and said, 'I love what you are saying about education. Would you meet?'" Emanuel told the Journal.
"I'm the only person they haven't contributed to," Emanuel said.
Petry and Curry confirmed the meeting.
Emanuel has also spoken with Avenue Capital CEO Marc Lasry. Shapiro also met with Lasry.
Kelly recently had dinner with a party fundraiser and attorney who specializes in corporate bankruptcies.
Beshear has also ramped up his donor meetings.
The primary season won't begin in earnest until after November's midterm elections, but a collection of Democrats is already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded field.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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