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One of these animals could be the next First Pet

by Morgan Gstalter - 07/06/19 7:00 AM ET
by Morgan Gstalter - 07/06/19 7:00 AM ET
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President Trump is the first commander-in-chief in more than 100 years not to have an official White House pet. 

The last dogs to occupy the Oval Office were Bo and Sunny Obama, two Portuguese Water Dogs adopted during former President Obama’s tenure. 

With more than 20 Democrats running to replace Trump, here are the furry friends of presidential candidates who could become the next First Pet. 

Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.) – Pepper and Captain Flint

Bennet said that he promised his three daughters, Carolina, Halina and Anne, a dog if he won his first campaign in 2010 and that is how the pup Pepper came into their lives.

A cat named Captain Flint is also a member of the Bennet family.

Former Vice President Joe Biden – Champ and Major

The former Vice President has two German Shepherds named Champ and Major and had the breed as pets for much of his life. 

Jill Biden promised her husband a dog during the 2008 presidential election and would tape pictures of of different dogs near his seat on the campaign plane, according to a Politico report at the time.

They named the puppy Champ as a sentimental nod to the vice president’s father who always told him growing up, “Get up champ,” during tough times.

Major was adopted from the Delaware Humane Association this past November.

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg – Buddy and Truman

Buttigieg’s two rescue pups have their own Twitter account as the First Dogs of South Bend, the Indiana city where he is mayor.

The candidate’s husband, Chasten Buttgieg, said that Truman is a possible lab-beagle and Buddy is likely a beagle-pug.

Mayor Pete said in December that they were looking for a second dog when they met Buddy at a Pet Refuge and “we fell in love with a one-eyed Puggle.”

There is even devoted office space named after the two dogs in Buttigieg’s campaign headquarters.

Rep. John Delaney (Md.) – dogs

The Maryland lawmaker’s campaign website states that he lives with his family, which includes four daughters and two dogs. 

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) – Maple

Gillibrand welcomed Maple, a Labradoodle puppy, to the family in July 2017.

The pooch has been featured on the senator’s Twitter page making appearances on the campaign trail and getting a bath before the first Democratic primary debates in Miami last month.

Former Sen. Mike Gravel (Alaska) – dog

A spokesperson for the 88-year-old’s presidential campaign provided The Hill with this picture of Gravel’s dog. 

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper – Skye

The former Colorado governor described Skye as an Akita-bulldog Chow Chow mix during a 2013 interview with The New Yorker.

The pup had been through a program that teaches inmates how to be dog trainers and was often spotted nearby during his tenure as governor. 

Skye was seen in Hickenlooper’s video announcing his presidential campaign in March and has since been seen in fundraising campaigns. 

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas) – Artemis, Rosie, Silver, Monty and Sandman

O’Rourke appears to be the 2020 candidate who would move the most amount of animals into the White House if elected president.

The Texas Democrat has a dog named Artemis, who appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair signaling O’Rourke’s presidential candidacy, and another pooch named Rosie.

O’Rourke, however, announced on July 18 that Rosie had died after 16 years.

In addition to the dogs, the O’Rourkes have a cat named Silver and a turtle named Gus.

Gus, a favorite of 10-year-old Molly, was enveloped in a bit of controversy earlier this year when the family thought he was eaten by Artemis.

Luckily he was discovered hiding in a closet and Artemis was cleared of any wrongdoing.

O’Rourke’s campaign told The Hill that the family also have a snake named Monty and a bearded dragon named Sandman.

Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio) – Bear and Buckeye

Rescue dogs Bear and Buckeye were adopted from a shelter in Struthers, Ohio and they “complete the Ryan family,” according to the congressman’s Twitter page.

Former Rep. Joe Sestak (Pa.) – Belle

The retired Navy admiral, the most recent Democrat to enter the 2020 race last month, has a Cockapoo named Belle. 

The pup is 15-years-old and was a gift for his daughter Alex’s third birthday.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.) – Penny

Swalwell recently voiced mock frustration that his pooch Penny was perhaps not sharing the spotlight with other potential presidential pups and shared a photo of her sitting in front of the Washington monument in Washington, D.C.

“I won’t give up until Penny gets the attention she deserves, so please stand by for more pup pics,” he wrote on Twitter.

A spokesperson for his campaign told Quartz that the family believes Penny is a black lab.

“They were sent a Craigslist ad posted for her by a constituent. Within minutes of seeing her puppy picture, they were in the car to meet her, and within hours of seeing the ad, they had a new companion.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) – Bailey

Bailey has been a staple on Warren’s social media accounts since the senator received the dog last July as a a surprise gift from her husband, Bruce Mann.

He frequently joins her in traveling for her 2020 bid and there is even a text alert system through her presidential campaign to get frequent photos of the Golden Retriever.

The pooch is named after George Bailey, the community baker in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

A poll conducted last month ranking the names of presidential candidates’ dogs found Bailey to be the top pick with 10 percent of the vote. 

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld (R) – Loma and Cheeto

The only Republican to launch a primary challenge against Trump has had a menagerie of pets throughout his life including several cats and dogs, a snake, a turtle, a hedgehog and a rabbit.

He currently has a dog named Loma who is an Australian Cattle herder mixed with pointer and chow. Weld’s campaign told The Hill that Loma was rescued in the Joshua Tree desert by their daughter.

In addition, the family also has a cat named Cheeto.

Candidates without pets

Trump is not the only 2020 contender who does not have a pet.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) does not currently have a pet but a spokesperson told The Hill that he “would love a dog in the White House.”

A spokesperson for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) told Quartz that he never got another dog after his last dog, Hailey, died roughly 10 years ago. Inslee is instead a granddad to his son’s dogs Pepper and Tilly.

2024 Election Coverage

Other Democratic candidates currently in Congress who do not appear to have pets include Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii,).

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, author Marianne Williamson and entrepreneur Andrew Yang also do not appear to have animals.

Tags 2020 presidential candidates 2024 election Pets United States Presidential pets

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