Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has hired veteran Democratic operative Jenn Ridder to work for his PAC, in the latest sign that the Western Democrat is nearing a presidential run.

Ridder will join Bullock's Big Sky Values PAC as a senior adviser, but she would be an obvious choice to manage Bullock's campaign should he decide to run for president. Ridder ran Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' successful campaign in 2018 and previously worked at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and was former Colorado Sen. Mark Udall's deputy campaign manager in 2014.


“Governor Bullock has a proven ability to win in the areas Democrats need to win in 2020 and has advanced progressive policies including Medicaid expansion, pre-K and campaign finance,” Ridder said in a statement shared with POLITICO. “I’m thrilled to be working for such a strong leader as we fight for our shared values.”

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Ridder's hiring is the latest in a series of behind-the-scenes moves laying the groundwork for Bullock's potential run. Big Sky Values PAC has already tapped Megan Simpson, a Democratic operative who most recently ran the coordinated campaign for the 2018 Montana Democratic Party, as its organizing director in Iowa.

Bullock has made several trips to Iowa, the first caucus state, though he has not announced a campaign. But the two-term governor has said he likely will not make any public announcements about his 2020 decision until after the Montana legislative session is over in April.

The staffing move also comes as several other 2020 candidates have bowed out of the race. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown announced on Thursday that he would stay in the Senate rather than run for president. Like Bullock, he had pitched himself as a progressive who had nevertheless won multiple elections in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2016.