With the official announcement that Hillary Clinton will seek the Democratic nomination for president, many have begun to coalesce around her campaign.
But there are some holdouts – including Delaware’s congressional delegation.
Congressman John Carney (D) was the most vocal Monday about keeping the hope alive for another run by the First State’s elder statesman, Joe Biden.
“As a Delawarean, I’ve got to wait to see what my vice president is going to do. He’s talked about his desire to run. I think he’d make a great president. He’s been a great vice president, maybe the best that we’ve ever had, actually,” Carney said.
Biden hasn’t ruled out the possibility of making a third run for the White House, but he also hasn't definitively chosen a path one way or the other.
Sen. Chris Coons (D) praised Clinton’s announcement video and her campaign, but says he’ll wait and see whose name will officially be on the ballet next year.
“The best thing in a democracy is a full-on, vigorous, open election campaign," said Coons. "I think Sec. Clinton will prove to have good and strong ideas for strengthening our economy and for making America stronger and if she were the nominee of the Democratic Party, she would have my support.”
"Hillary Clinton, like Bill Clinton, has the ability to bridge the divide and not just appeal to Democrats from left to right, but also from folks in the middle -- including some folks that are Republicans," said Sen. Tom Carper (D), dryly noting that, "I understand some women might be excited about her running, too."
Clinton is the lone high-profile Democrat to formally announce her candidacy, while several others are mulling their decision.
Those include former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, former Virginia senator Jim Webb and Lincoln Chafee, the Republican-turned-Independent-turned-Democratic governor of Rhode Island.
Biden previously mounted two runs for president in 1988 and 2008.