April 16 (UPI) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld formally launched his presidential bid on Monday, seeking to challenge President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
Weld announced his campaign in a three-minute video highlighting his early political career and his achievements as the governor of Massachusetts contrasted with various negative clips of Trump.
In a statement Monday, Weld said that America is a nation “built on courage, resilience and independence.”
“In these times of great political strife, when both major parties are entrenched in their ‘win at all cost’ battles, the voices of the American people are being ignored and our nation is suffering,” he said. “It is time for patriotic men and women across our great nation to stand and plant a flag. It is time to return to the principles of Lincoln — equality, dignity and opportunity for all. There is no greater cause on earth than to preserve what truly makes America great. I am ready to lead that fight.”
Appearing on CNN’s The Lead Weld told host Jake Tapper that he would be “ashamed” of himself if he chose not to run and Trump were re-elected. “I really think if we have six more years of the same stuff we’ve had out of the White House the last two years that would be a political tragedy and I would fear for the Republic,” he said.
In an interview with Massachusetts news station WMUR, Weld added that his goal wasn’t simply to hurt Trump’s chances of being re-elected.
“I think it’s doable. The aim is to defeat him,” he said.
Weld also described himself as a “happy warrior” adding that he feels Trump has “demons.”
“Why does he feel obligated to attack little people personally?” Weld said of the president.
In addition to serving as governor of Massachusetts for two terms in the early 1990s, Weld ran for Senate in Massachusetts in 1996 when he was defeated by John Kerry and later moved to New York where he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor.
Most recently, he was the Libertarian Party vice presidential nominee alongside former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.
