Ken Salazar, who previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico under President Biden, has begun contemplating a presidential run against Biden in 2024. An excerpt from one of his books reveals that Salazar thought after Biden’s significant loss in the July 2024 debate, “I should run for president.”
He also claimed that he had engaged with the border czar and suggested to Biden early on that the situation at the U.S. border should be labeled a crisis. Salazar pointed out that “politics has failed to grasp the reality of the border crisis” and its implications for Democrats heading into the 2024 elections.
According to Salazar, officials within the Biden administration often referred to the situation as a “crisis,” even when the White House hesitated to do the same. His advice to then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, to use the term “crisis,” was met with Mayorkas’s concern about his own political situation, as the Republicans were pressing for changes at the border.
Even after forming a team and outlining a presidential platform, Salazar ultimately did not announce his candidacy, according to reports. He had intended to run if Biden stepped aside, but the Democrats chose to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris without holding an open primary, a decision Salazar criticized as a mistake.
Salazar expressed dissatisfaction with Harris’s handling of border issues, despite her role as the border czar, a position he had recommended to Biden. He observed a lack of effectiveness in her efforts, noting, “Sadly, her appointment to this position had no effect on immigration flows.” He described her response to the root causes of migration as lacking competence, despite her close proximity to the Oval Office.
While Salazar praised Biden for ultimately moving to tighten border controls in 2024, he acknowledged this action came too late. He stated that, although American voters were calling for stronger measures, the issue had dominated the election’s final months.
In his book “Borderlands: My Struggle for an Inclusive America,” Salazar outlined his Borderlands Platform and advised Democratic presidential candidates on the immigration system, which he believes is broken. He noted that he has met with Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and plans to discuss immigration issues with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker soon.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Salazar, Pritzker, Gallego, and Kelly for their comments.
