Gore files for 2000 election

Associated Press, January 2, 1999

WASHINGTON -- With the new year comes a new official entrant -- Vice President Al Gore -- in the Democrats' race for the presidential nomination.

Gore was mailing papers yesterday to the Federal Election Commission establishing a presidential campaign committee for the 2000 election, his staff chief, Ron Klain, said.

The papers will name Jose Villarreal, a prominent activist in Texas Democratic politics and a deputy manager of Gore's and President Clinton's 1992 campaign, as the campaign treasurer, Klain said.

"While no formal announcement is being made right now, we have filed the necessary forms on behalf of the vice president so that initial preparations can go forward," Villarreal said.

Gore is the third Democrat to form a committee for seeking the party's presidential nomination in 2000. Former Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey formed an exploratory committee the first week of December, and Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota also has established an exploratory committee for raising money for a presidential bid.

Other possible contenders for the Democratic party's presidential nomination include House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, and civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson.