Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is considering running for New York City mayor, according to a report by TMZ.
TMZ reports that a source who was at a small gathering last month with Clinton and “some politically connected people” from New York said the former presidential candidate “has not ruled” out the possibility and is “taking a real look at it.”
Clinton also told the close circle to measure “the level of interest and support” to a potential Clinton candidacy.
“Hillary says the people in the room were supportive of a run, and she said she was talking to people in her close circle to gauge the level of interest and support in a Clinton candidacy,” the source told TMZ. “Judging from the meeting, so far it’s just talk.”
Rumors of Clinton running for mayor to resurrect her political career after a humiliating defeat in November have been swirling around in New York political circles since the beginning of the year. But, despite the growing speculation, Clinton has not yet publicly commented whether she would mull a challenge against the incumbent, Bill de Blasio.
However, a top Clinton aide, Neera Tanden, shot down reports of chatter circulating in New York political circles in January.
“I don’t expect her to run for this and I don’t expect her to run for other office,” Tanden told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” show. “I think her job is to — what she’s thinking about right now is how to help those kids and families as she has her whole life.”
As “ Hillary for Mayor” signs began appearing around the big apple, the latest Rasmussen poll released last week found that 58 percent of likely voters don’t want Clinton to run for mayor of New York, compared to just 23 percent who want her to run.