In less than a year, Michael Avenatti has gone from a relatively unknown lawyer to someone that has seen his name splashed across the headlines. Avenatti has embraced the limelight as his representation of former porn star Stormy Daniels in her bid to void a non-disclosure agreement with Donald Trump has made him something of a celebrity. He was seen as an outside contender to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for 2020, but recent domestic assault accusations against him have potentially derailed his ambitions. Online sportsbook BetDSI has adjusted the odds on Avenatti to run for President in 2020 downward, but they still believe he is likely to run for the highest office in the land.
Will Michael Avenatti run for U.S. President in 2020? (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Yes -275
No +220
On Wednesday, news broke that Avenatti had been taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of domestic violence, and the LAPD confirmed the news in a subsequent tweet.
Avenatti has since been released on bail, and he has thunderously denounced all of the charges against him. As of Friday, no one except the proper authorities know who was the victim of the alleged abuse. Originally, there was speculation that the complaint was filed by Avenatti’s estranged wife Lisa Storie-Avenatti. TMZ reported that one of their sources told the gossip website that she was the alleged victim in the dispute, but that has since been walked back and they have updated their story to say that another woman was the alleged victim of abuse by Avenatti.
For his part, Avenatti is claiming that he has been set up. He called out pro-Trump conspiracy theorist Jacob Wohl on Thursday, telling TMZ that he was coming for Wohl. Avenatti followed that up on Twitter later, alleging that Wohl was somehow behind the arrest.
More is sure to emerge from this over the coming days, but for now the 2020 Presidential betting odds still believe that Avenatti will end up running. The firebrand has set himself up for a potential run by continually calling out Trump for his behavior and his abuse of power on Twitter. He has strongly hinted that he plans to run for the nomination, and unlike other potential nominees he does have name recognition.
Avenatti faces long odds to win the Democratic nomination if he does happen to run. He was listed as a 35-1 underdog to win the nomination on BetDSI prior to his arrest, and he will not have the resources or infrastructure that others will have.
Currently, Beto O’Rourke and Kamela Harris are the favorites to win the Democratic Party nomination in 2020, and other candidates are well ahead of Avenatti too. Heavyweights like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden are listed ahead of him, and all five of those candidates have numerous advantages over him. In a recent poll from POLITICO, no Democratic voters said that he would be their choice if he were to run in 2020.
