Hillary Clinton smacked down months of speculation Monday about her launching yet another presidential bid in 2020.
The former first lady and Secretary of State revealed to News 12 Westchester her decision not to run against President Trump again after losing as the Democratic nominee to him in 2016.
“I’m not running, but I’m going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe,” Clinton said.
The former New York senator also pledged to continue participating in the political conversation because the state of the country is “deeply troubling” and unprecedented.
“I want to be sure that people understand I’m going to keep speaking out,” she continued. “I’m not going anywhere. What’s at stake in our country, the kind of things that are happening right now are deeply troubling to me.”
She also lamented the current polarization of political debate.
“And I’m also thinking hard about how do we start talking and listening to each other again?” Clinton said. “We’ve just gotten so polarized. We’ve gotten into really opposing camps unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my adult life.”
Although she is not running for president, Clinton said she plans to put her nose to the grindstone during the 2020 campaign season to help Democrats win back the White House.
“I’ve told every one of them, don’t take anything for granted, even though we have a long list of real problems and broken promises from this administration that need to be highlighted,” she said of the Democratic 2020 candidates. “People need to understand that in many cases, they were sold a bill of goods. We can’t take anything for granted. We have to work really, really hard to make our case to the American people, and I’m gonna do everything I can to help the Democrats win back the White House.”
Asked whether she would consider getting involved in local New York politics, such as a run for governor or New York City mayor, Clinton responded, “I don’t think so.”
“But I love living in New York and I’m so grateful that I had the chance to be a senator for eight years and to work with people across our state,” she said. “I care deeply about the future of New York and so, again, I’m gonna do what I can to help support candidates and causes that I think are continuing to make New York a better and better place.”
Clinton now lives in Chappaqua, Westchester County, with her husband, former president Bill Clinton.