Hillary Clinton may have suffered a devastating defeat in November, against Republican President-elect Donald Trump, but she hasn’t quelled suspicion of a potential run for Mayor of New York City. The former Democratic presidential nominee hasn’t confirmed she will run. Clinton also hasn’t yet said no to the prospects of entering another political race.
The rumors appear to have been sparked by editorials in various news publications. Clinton’s popularity in the city is leading many people to take notice. She has the experience to take on government and politics.
The nation’s largest city puts a high demand on its politicians. With 8.4 million residents, New York City ranks in 11th place if one were to compare it to the 50 states. Each of its five boroughs has separate political leaders. There are also 51 city council members, 212 state legislators, and members of Congress, all of which Hillary Clinton has the experience to take on.
Running against a marginally popular mayor
If Clinton were to take a run at the highest office in New York City, she’d likely be going against Mayor Bill de Blasio. Controversial policies have made this first-term mayor only marginally popular, and he has even threatened legal action against Trump. The next mayoral election in New York will be on November 7, 2017.
In 2000, de Blasio was Clinton’s Senate campaign manager. It soon became evident that the present mayor was seeking his place in the national spotlight. Today, discussions persist about whether Hillary Clinton will run for the job. Nobody from her team has denied the possibility, and they seem to be even allowing it to linger in the public’s mind.
Will she or won’t she?
Karen Hinton, once Bill Clinton’s administration aide and at one time Mayor de Blasio’s press secretary, said in a Politico.com article, “It’s obvious she is not going to run, so why aren’t people just saying that?” Still, the former First Lady is keeping an ear out. Whether it is using speculation to remain relevant, or to feel flattered by the embarrassment of losing the election, Clinton is not denying or confirming anything – yet.
The irony of Hillary Clinton being mayor of NYC
There are a few facts driving people to conjure up a Hillary Clinton mayoral run. The city is the home of Donald Trump, and where taxpayers are paying for Trump’s security. It’s also the job once sought by Anthony Weiner. A sexting scandal ended the marriage of Clinton’s closest aid to Weiner, who also gave up a computer, prompting FBI Director Jim Comey to write a Congressional letter so close to the election. The news sparked further controversy regarding Clinton’s use of a private email server while Secretary of State.
Even with no formal announcement, people seem to believe Hillary Clinton can win an election to become mayor of New York. Online fundraising, a collection of signatures, listening tours, or a call to ban outside investments have not yet occurred.
These would be the first steps toward a campaign, according to Bradley Tusk, a former aide to Michael Bloomberg, who served three terms as mayor of New York City. A drive to receive endorsements would signal a possible entry into the mayoral race as well.
Hillary Clinton is still in the public eye
Over the weekend, Hillary, Bill, and Chelsea Clinton were present at the final performance of the Broadway show, “The Color Purple,” on Sunday, January 8. They even received ovations when entering the room and during the curtain call. This response was noted by Clinton’s press secretary Brian Fallon, who tweeted a local newspaper article in which he added #HillarysNewYork, which bears similarity to a popular hashtag bearing the current mayor’s name.
#HillarysNewYorkhttps://t.co/62SHeWLpSg
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) January 8, 2017