WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates were nearly unanimous in praising House Democrats’ decision to begin an impeachment inquiry into Republican President Donald Trump over accusations he sought foreign help to smear a political rival.
Now comes the hard part.
With impeachment set to overshadow the Democratic presidential primary race, how will candidates draw attention to their key policy issues, ranging from universal healthcare to income inequality?
After months of resisting pressure from fellow Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the launch of a formal impeachment effort on Tuesday, accusing Trump of seeking foreign help to damage Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden ahead of the November 2020 election.
Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine.
The impeachment inquiry ensures a partisan fight in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail in the coming months.
Kurt Meyer, Democratic party chairman for three rural Iowa counties north of Des Moines, the state’s most populous city, said he expects the impeachment proceedings to energize the Democratic base.
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