CAMBRIDGE — One year ago, Michael Avenatti could be easily mistaken for another slickly dressed professional passing through the lobby of the Hyatt Cambridge.

But on Monday heads turned. That’s because Avenatti’s become somewhat of a household celebrity after months in the spotlight from representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels in a lawsuit that saw President Donald Trump’s former attorney plead guilty to violating federal campaign finance law.

Avenatti met with two reporters about his future political ambitions and other recent events. He was in the Boston area Sunday, when he spoke at the launch event of Massachusetts-based Left of Center, a group aiming to help flip Congress by endorsing and supporting centrist Democrats.

Avenatti said he will decide whether he’ll run for president in the next “60 to 90 days.” He said he’s visited 15 states so far and will visit eight more before the midterm elections on Nov. 6. On his immediate agenda are stops to Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and swing state New Hampshire.

He’ll attend fundraisers for Democratic candidates, participate in “get-out-the-vote” rallies, and engage in some fact finding on his own behalf.

“I’m here meeting people and listening to people and determining whether it makes sense to run at this (point) or not,” he said.

Avenatti said although he hasn’t held public office, he’s worked on 150 political campaigns in 42 states — including Massachusetts, where he helped on Marty Meehan’s 1992 campaign for the U.S. House of Representative with tasks like compiling opposition research.

Avenatti said there are a number of possible Democratic nominees for president, but the California-born defense attorney is among “the few” who can beat a president who knocked down seasoned challengers in 2016.

“He can beat accomplished experienced politicians, nominating somebody very similar to the people he’s already beat is not going to accomplish the goal, which is to take back the White House,” he said. “All the experience in the world, and all of the knowledge about policy positions in the world and all the governmental experience in the world doesn’t mean anything if you can’t beat Donald Trump.”

Avenatti said “You’re not going to beat Donald Trump through a message of puppies and daisies. You’re going to have to inspire the country with a vision, there’s no question about that but above all else you’re going to have to be a fighter, a genuine fighter, and somebody who can actually bring the fight to him and stand toe to toe with him.”

“Donald Trump matches up better against some candidates than others,” he added. “The Democratic party needs to nominate one of the others.”

In a wide-ranging, 30-minute interview, Avenatti touched on the following current issues:

* On the presumed murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi:

Avenatti said he would have halted the pending U.S. arms deal with Saudi Arabia days ago.

“Some on the right have tried to make it a distinguishing factor that (Khashoggi) was not a citizen. I think that’s disgusting and an example of the type of racism that the right and Donald Trump have used so often to try and divide this country and to put him in a position of power.”

* On claims that his representation of Julie Swetnick — who said in high school she witnessed new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh spike drinks at teen parties and line up girls to “gang rape” — helped Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

“There’s no evidence that we changed one vote,” he said, adding that Maine Sen. Susan Collins “is a complete fraud” who called for an FBI investigation into Swetnick’s allegations on a Monday and then reversed herself on a Friday when the White House blocked the FBI from investigating her claims.

“They did not look into my client’s allegations because they thought they were completely not credible, they didn’t look into them because they were afraid of what they might find,” said Avenatti.

* On whether he would support impeaching the president:

“I absolutely believe that ultimately facts and evidence will be discovered sufficient enough to support an indictment of the president. And I believe that the president, if those facts and evidence are sufficient or present, that he should be indicted.”

If he does run for the White House, Avenatti said he is prepared to release his tax returns.

The issue was renewed after the Daily Beast reported Sunday that Avenatti allegedly owes millions in federal and state taxes and to ex-employee, Jason Frank.

The news outlet reported that a law firm Avenatti once owned owed $2.4 million in back taxes, and a defunct coffee chain he purchased with “Grey’s Anatomy” TV sitcom star Patrick Dempsey owed $5 million in federal taxes — debts Avenatti told the Daily Beast he is not responsible for paying.

Asked about the report on Monday, Avenatti replied, “Garbage complete garbage, recycled news, old news… Here’s the bottom line, I’d be happy to put all of my tax records up against Donald Trump’s this afternoon.”

He declined to say whether he currently owes state or federal taxes, but said the personal federal tax liens reported as outstanding in the Daily Beast article “have been fully satisfied.”