A former Miami mayor who supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2008 has promised his backing to one of Clinton's potential 2016 rivals — former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley,
The Miami Herald reports.
Manny Diaz is hosting a breakfast in Miami next month for O'Malley, who Diaz befriended when both were Democratic mayors of Miami and Baltimore, respectively, the Herald reports.
"He's not running yet, but I'll tell you, if he does run, I will endorse him," Diaz told the Herald. "He's an old friend, and I'm very loyal to old friends."
The May 8 sit-down is sponsored by O'Malley's political action committee, O'PAC, and is billed as more of an icebreaker than a fundraiser, the Herald reports.
"I would like to introduce you to my friend," Diaz wrote in an email to invitees. "No commitments. No checks. Only a cup of coffee, a handshake and a simple hello."
O'Malley will need a lot of coffee to challenge the Clinton juggernaut. Former Secretary of State Clinton joined the 2016 race this month with polls already indicating huge leads for her over possible primary challengers.
Clinton began the 2008 campaign with a similar advantage in support, name recognition and resources, and was defeated by the future president, then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Diaz, a former head of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, told the Herald that O'Malley's experience as the chief executive and top elected official of a city and then a state is one of his strengths as a presidential prospect.
"When you look at what mayors do, and in this case what governors do — and he's been both, so he's actually run something," said Diaz. "He's run two governments."