Not content to disappear from the political sphere after her unexpected and crushing defeat, Hillary Clinton has found a way to stay in the spotlight: she’s thinking about running for Mayor of New York City.
Top Democrats are reportedly urging Hillary to challenge incumbent Bill de Blasio, a fellow Democrat who worked as Hillary’s campaign manager during her senate run in 2000. He is up for reelection this November.
Hillary “would be a terrific candidate for mayor,” says NY Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “She is wildly popular among New Yorkers – so much so that were she to file, de Blasio would have to file his retirement papers on the same day.”
Hillary and de Blasio have a friendly history, but some believe the two have grown apart in recent years. Sheinkopf points out that “de Blasio endorsed her very late in the Democratic race last year and at times appeared to be quite friendly to Bernie Sanders.”
On top of that, Mayor de Blasio’s popularity seems to be at an all-time low. As the New York Post pointed out last week, “the mayor and his administration have been the subject of one state or federal investigation or another from his earliest months in office.”
“Vagrancy is way up, along with aggressive panhandling and related intrusions into public spaces. Plus, streets seem dirtier, graffiti is out of control, traffic is a nightmare, and the subways are crowded beyond belief.”
A Quinnipiac University poll from November 2016 found that as many as 49% of NYC voters don’t want to see de Blasio reelected.
Hillary won 59% of New York’s vote in the presidential election – and nearly 80% in New York City – and I don’t see how she could possibly lose to de Blasio.
Many of Hillary’s supporters believe the position of NYC mayor could be just the platform Hillary needs to become “a national leader for Democratic issues and values – while relishing her new role in Trump’s own backyard,” reports Newsmax.
But others warn that the position of mayor would be a step down for Hillary, and some are even encouraging her to prepare a 2020 presidential bid (at which time she would be 74 years old).
Editor’s note: Hate to say it, but if she wants power, this will do it for her. She could maintain a running battle with Trump that could keep her in the limelight for the rest of her career, and possibly help her launch another presidential run. Scary stuff.