Jusin Sullivan
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Political players of all stripes are musing on the possibility of Hillary Clinton running for the office of Mayor of New York in 2017, according to a report in The New York Times.
Since Clinton's loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 election, the political future of the former Democratic nominee has been a hot topic of conversation among political insiders. “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 fund-raiser, donor, and friend of the Clintons. “Whether that’s a university presidency, the head of some women’s and children’s group, something international, or even mayor of New York.”
The rumors hit a fever pitch after an article in Newsmax, a right-wing political website, claimed that "major Democratic donors and leaders" were pushing her to run for mayor. This would pit her against Bill de Blasio, who will complete his first term as mayor this year. Mayor de Blasio, who ran Clinton's senate campaign in 2000, endorsed Clinton in the Democratic primary amid reports that he nearly picked her rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Still, those political insiders admit that's unlikely Clinton will run for mayor. “The reality is that she’s not going to,” said Bradley Tusk, a former aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, “and all it does is further delay the thinking and plans of people who actually could run and win.” Tusk is currently searching for candidates to challenge de Blasio.
Nick Merrill, a spokesperson for Clinton, declined to comment to the Times on the prospect of a mayoral run.