On April 12, Hillary Clinton announced what the political establishment has known for quite some time – she is running for President of the United States. The declaration came towards the end of a short video released by her campaign on Sunday afternoon. “I’m running for president,” she said in the video. “Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion. So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote–because it’s your time. And I hope you’ll join me on this journey.”
With the widely recognized Clinton name, Hillary enters the race at a unique starting point. Whether the establishment association will help or harm her remains to be determined in this particular election, but many speculate that the drama of the 1990s is worrisome, at best. Additionally, there remains controversy regarding her use of a State Department email address for personal matters while serving as Secretary of State for the Obama administration between 2009 and 2013.
Considering her failed bid for the Democratic nomination in 2008, Clinton’s campaign hopes that this time around she will be able to draw upon her strong base of support, which centers on women and white working-class people. Seeking to avoid the presumptions of entitlement from her last campaign, it seems that she plans to champion helping the middle class and reducing income inequality as major themes of her campaign. Her successful bid in 2000 for Senate in New York is considered a strong campaign model, during which she proved a relatable, effective candidate. When constituents feel as though they are able to connect with Clinton on a personal level, they are more likely to vote for her.
Her April 12 declaration will be followed in the coming weeks by campaign events in the critical states of Iowa and New Hampshire. The beginning stages of her campaign form the reintroduction of herself that she so desperately seeks as a second-time presidential candidate, while reinforcing the central themes of her candidacy—improving life for the middle class with an emphasis on raising wages and ensuring income equality.
Clinton seems to be in a vulnerable position, however, as media scrutiny continues and criticism begins from the broad field of contenders for the Republican nomination. Jeb Bush, governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Senators Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have all voted opposition to Clinton in their bid to secure the Republican nomination would function as the most effective candidate to run against Clinton. And the question remains: How does she create a first impression all over again?