New York politics has been gripped by an unlikely question: Will Hillary Clinton run for the position of mayor of New York City?
The answer, according to those closest to Clinton, is no, but that hasn’t stopped speculation from running rampant, especially in conservative circles, where Clinton is just as disliked as the current mayor, Bill de Blasio.
“Obviously, that’s a conversation point for everybody; it’s a logical point after you ask, ‘What is Hillary going to do next?’” said Alan Patricof a friend of the Clintons who worked on fundraising for their campaign. “Whether that’s a university presidency, the head of some women’s and children’s group, something international, or even mayor of New York.”
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Bradley Tusk, a former top aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, admitted that a poll had been conducted finding that Clinton would win against de Blasio if she were to run, but she was included in the poll for reasons of comparison, not as a candidate.
“The reality is that she’s not going to [run],” Tusk said, “and all it does is further delay the thinking and plans of people who actually could run and win.”
It’s unsurprising that people are speculating about Clinton’s next political steps after her unexpected loss in the presidential election, especially as she has largely kept out of the public eye. However, those closest to her have dismissed the idea of her running as mayor, so we’ll just have to wait and see what is next for her.