Talk of the Sound has learned that Chelsea Clinton may run for Congress next year.
Clinton has been approached by “the right people” in the New York Democratic Party, according to one source in Albany. While no decision has been made, Clinton is said to be “actively considering” a Congressional run from New York State in 2012.
Chelsea Clinton, 31, is the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The discussions of running Chelsea Clinton for a house seat grew out of the redistricting plans currently underway in the New York State legislature in Albany.
The plan is to identify an open seat for Clinton in or around New York City where she currently resides with her husband, Marc Mezvinsky. While no specific district has been determined, New York City and Westchester are said to be the focus with New York’s 18th District considered a strong possibility. The 18th encompasses much of Westchester County, just south of where her parents have maintained a home for the past 12 years.
Bill and Hillary Clinton have owned a home in New York’s 19th 18th Congressional District since 1999. The 19th is a swing district that went for Republican Nan Hayworth in 2010. The 18th District on the other hand is solidly Democratic. Barack Obama won the district in 2008 by 62% to 38%, John Kerry won in 2004 by 58% to 42%. Al Gore won the district 58% to 39%.
CORRECTION: The Westchester County Board of Elections has confirmed that the Clinton home in Chappaqua is in District 18.
One senior Democrat, a former elected official in New York, told Talk of the Sound that Democrats involved in the discussions are excited, seeing Chelsea Clinton as an “automatic win” for the Democrats in 2012.
The house seat from the New York 18th District is currently held by U.S. Representative Nita M. Lowey (D-NY). She will be 74 next year and is widely expected to retire from Congress in 2012.
Lowey has served in Congress for 22 years. From 1989 to 1993 she represented New York’s 20th District. After redistricting following the 1990 census she ran and won in New York’s 18th District in 1993 and has won re-election every year since.
For Lowey, a run by Chelsea Clinton would represent the second time that the Clinton family has intervened in her political career. In 2000, Lowey was considered the likely Democratic Senate candidate for the seat formerly held by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. When Hillary Clinton expressed interest in running for Senate from New York in 1999, Lowey was forced to give way to the wife of the former President.
Chelsea Clinton graduated from Stanford University and earned two master’s degrees, one from Oxford in England, and another from Columbia University in New York City. She is currently enrolled in the doctoral program at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.
Chelsea Clinton was active in her mother’s primary campaign for the Democratic Presidential Nomination in 2008.
In 2010, Chelsea Clinton married Marc Mezvinsky, 34, in Rhinebeck, NY, about an hour’s drive north of Westchester County. The couple currently reside in Manhattan.
Mezvinsky’s parents both served in Congress. Edward Mezvinsky was a Democratic Congressman from Iowa. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky was a Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania.
Should Chelsea Clinton make the run, the biggest loser would be New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson whose hopes to replace Lowey eleven years ago were dashed when Hillary Clinton jumped into the Senate race against Republican Rick Lazio, leaving Lowey in place and blocking Bramson from her Congressional seat. Bramson, who has labored for years as a paid political consultant and speechwriter for Lowey, would find himself the odd-man-out once again.
Mayor Bramson has served for 16 years on the New Rochelle City Council, the last 5 in the ceremonial position of Mayor. New Rochelle has a weak-Mayor form of municipal government with a city manager serving as chief executive.
Bramson is currently running for re-election against Republican Council Member Richard St. Paul.
RELATED: Washington Post, Chelsea Clinton steps into spotlight — but what does she want?
Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea! Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton spent years shunning the spotlight, Garbo-like, and rarely speaking in public. Now suddenly, she’s everywhere — and it seems like she’s gearing up for something. But what?
Politico: Chelsea Clinton steps into the spotlight
The specter of someone with the last name of Clinton edging into public service inevitably raises the prospect of public office – perhaps an appointment by her mother’s boss, the president of the United States, or by an old family friend, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Or perhaps a run for Congress. Clinton allies suggested that option as a possibility for her, either in New York City where she lives, or farther north.
Rep. Nita Lowey, an old family ally who represents the official Clinton home in Westchester County, turned 74 in July and two Clinton supporters suggested that Chelsea Clinton might be a natural for her seat should Lowey decide to retire in coming years.
“She’s coming into her own – she’s developing her own career,” said Basil Smikle, a former Clinton aide and New York political consultant who said he hadn’t been let in on any plans for the next Clinton generation.
“If she did [run for office], I would not be surprised, and I think she’d be great,” he said. “She’s obviously very intelligent, and she has the political genes to make her a successful candidate. New York State as a whole could use an injection of new, younger blood with some fresh ideas.”
Lowey, whose spokesman, Matt Dennis, stressed that she is running for reelection in 2012, didn’t dismiss the notion of another elected Clinton, in Westchester or anywhere else.
HERE COMES THE DENIALS:
“This story is a joke. Nita Lowey is running for reelection in 2012.”
“Congresswoman Lowey is 100% running for re-election in 2012. She is not retiring.”
Matthew Dennis
Communications Director
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-18)
“This is 100% false. She is not running for Congress in the 18th District or any other”
Matt McKenna
Communications Director
Bill Clinton
“She certainly has a star quality to her. She would be a formidable candidate. She’s bright, articulate, on top of the issues. It would be exciting, but I haven’t heard it.”
Jay Jacobs
New York State Democratic Party Chairman
NYDN says Lafayette told them he has “heard no talk of Clinton running for Congress. LaFayette fully expects Lowey to run for re-election next year.”
Reginald LaFayette
Westchester Democratic Chairman
LINKS BACK: Thanks Glenn for the Instalanche and John at Crooks and Liars. Also, Gabe at Memeorandum, Outside the Beltway, Daily Kos, Free Republic, Lucianne, New York Daily News, Hot Air, Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire, The Weekly Standard, Drudge Report, Democratic Underground, USA TODAY, Daily Mail (UK), Albany Times-Union, Towelroad, New York Observer, ABC News, Washington Post, Death and Taxes Magazine.
The Denials are the Scary Part
In the wacky world of politics, aren’t the denials usually the precursor to the campaign? Just wondering. Is Noam still on suicide watch? This all coincides nicely with Halloween. Boooooooooo….
chelsea clinton
Bob you have lassoed a whirlwind on this one. What do we know at this point? Cuomo will be very aggressively involved on redisricting. Chelsea has much more clout than Caroline, the new districting will be one that both parties will covet; name recognition will be critical, Lowey is near if not at retirement. Noam may be a candidate, but as I have said, there is certainly not a line of succession here. Demographics in State, its political clout, other factors would favor someone like Chelsea. Hillary is strong Independent draw, Bill hugely influential.
No sense in speculation now. Much more will be known in a few months, even more so in 2Q of 2012. Could check with the Mayans perhaps. Also, some of my sources in DC are saying that Harold Ford may want the seat and he was former representative from Tennessee and pretty well regarded.
Great reporting. Also, lady (think it is Pony) over on Trinity blog wrote an outstanding letter which I bring to attention of those who have not read it. I would caution jumping on Briceno. The trail leads closer to Korostoff; an “intern” indeed. This is the sort of stuff that happens routinely under that guys watch in elementary grades.
More Clintons for N.Y.?
Why not Chelsea, too?
The wacked out celebrity crazed Democrats in this state voted her Yankee- cap wearing mother into the U.S. Senate
And anyway, why settle for this crummy congressional district? She’s a Clinton. Democrat royalty, damn-it!
Give Plugs Biden his one-way Amtrack ride back to Dover and insure Obama’s re-election with Mrs. Mezninsky as the V.P. for 2012.
Oh, wait. She’s a hedge-fund 1% ‘er, no?
(And we we’re so close.)
I would vote for her if…
she promised not to take a paycheck or pension. She will live quite handsomely on the largesse gained by taxpayers thus far in the pensions, fortunes made by her corrupt family and in-law ties.
SHE IS THE 1%, but that only matters to the OWS crowd if she were Republican.
Incestuous politics are the bane of freedom: systemic corruption is a family affair.
Are the people of New York
Are the people of New York realy this stupid? Didn’t Hillary treat you with disdain?
Both Clinton’s should be in jail for the White House and pre White House crimes from smggling drugs to White Water, the Arkansas law firms telephone records found in the private quarters at the White House with Hilllaru’s finger prints all over them, Travelgate, the 1,000 FBI Files, Monika, Ron Brown’s myserious death, the out and out lieing to a grand jury, etc., etc., etc.
New York please don’t put us through another lawless Clinton.
Are the people of New York realy this stupid?
In a word, yes. Always have been. Leans left all my life. NY sucks.
dynastic succession and campaign finance laws
The result of campaign finance laws is we have a higher incumbent re-election rate of all but one party states with dictators. And we seen more and more a tendency towards the establishment of a ruling class and dynastic succession. This is all a direct result of campaign finance reform. All regulation has some noble motive as its excuse and a hidden agenda that seeks to reduce competition and choices for the public. This is increasingly true of all federal regulations. There’s a wizard behind the curtain of Oz.
Another Clinton
Just another Clinton that wants to live off the backs of the taxpayer.
Of course she’ll run
She has stated many times that she is not running and will not run.
There you have it, of course this means that she absolutely will run. Democrats/Clintons are all pathological liars so you can take that to the bank.
Who Cares
Let Clinton run. The way things are going, pretty soon there won’t be a country to govern anymore anyway.
Isn’t she one of the 1%?
Or
Isn’t she one of the 1%?
Or is she given a pass because of who her parents are?
Won’t these people please
Won’t these people please just go away….anywhere but here.
Gee, who could have seen this coming?
Caroline Schlossberg redux?
Will the Clinton’s never tire of pushing Nita Lowey around?
Besides all the obvious
Besides all the obvious comments about being unqualified (but who cares these days) it drives me nuts when the media calls this the DEMOCRATIC Party. It’s the DEMOCRAT Party, and there is nothing Democratic about it. These people are not Democratics, they are Democrats.
Where did you go to school?
Didn’t they teach you the difference between a noun (Democrat) and an adjective (Democratic)?
“Democratic Party” — “Democratic” is an adjective, describing the noun, “Party.”
Democrat Party
In this case, Democrat is not acting as an adjective. It is a proper name as denoted by the capital letter D.
Whether they are democratic depends on your point of view.
If you believes that they are democratic then they are the democratic Democrat party.
“not acting as an adjective”
Okay– great. Fine. Quick question: Is that the sort of logic in circulation at your local Republic Party meetings?
When in a hole, one should stop digging…
The Grand Old Party’s name is the Republican Party, not the Republic Party. The other party is named the Democrat Party, not the Democratic Party. Your attempt at snark thus fails.
No it didn’t, and here’s why
If you’re going by *official* names, then we are talking about the Republican Party and the Democratic Party– and any other name used externally that isn’t conspicuously honorific IS snarky. Note, also, that *both* names are adjectives being used as proper nouns, which was exactly the point of my question.
DEMOCRATIC Party. or DEMOCRAT Party, ??
anonymus ” it drives me nuts when the media calls this the DEMOCRATIC Party. It’s the DEMOCRAT Party’-
spoken like a true conservative’
It’s the DEMOCRAT Party,
Hurray for saying this!!!!! These criminals and their gang members in the press have changed the name of the party and the American people, in their devout stupidity, have adopted it. Just more proof of how successful the dumbing down of
America has been……..Thank you Jimmy “the leech” Carter and the DOE. Good job ! Well done! Or as the sheep in the meadow say “BAA”
I’d vote for her over Lowey.
I’d vote for her over Lowey. When Loweys out Bramson won’t have a job. Remember, she pays him over $85,000 in tax payer money for nothing.
$45,000
Last time I check, Noam was being paid $45,000 a year by Nita Lowey making him her highest paid political consultant.
Last I heard it was $85,000.
Last I heard it was $85,000. But that could have changed since 2010. The point of the matter is that Noam is get paid with taxpayer money as mayor and as Lowey’s unnecessary consultant. So taxpayers are really paying Noam about $160,000 a year plus lifetime benefits and pension for driving New Rochelle into the gutter and writing long winded boring speeches for Lowey. What a waist of hard earned money.
These people (Clintons) will
These people (Clintons) will never go away!
No More Clintons!!
In December 1997 my then-boss handed out a Christmas present to all of his employees–a top-end bottle of champagne. A month later the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal broke and I decided that this bottle would be opened when there were NO MORE CLINTONS serving in elective or appointed office. Well, imagine my HORROR when Bill was succeeded in a position of power by the Hildebeast, her appointment to State, and now my utter AGONY when I read this god-forsaken article!!
I have waited 14 years to open this bottle of champagne, damn it! Now I could wait another 30 or more years! I may be DEAD before there are No More Clintons!!! The execrable SOBs!!
No MOre Clintons!
You might as well drink it, champagne doesn’t age like wine, it is meant to be consumed early and often. I told my husband I just hope I outlive Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the former, maybe the later, questionable.
It Takes a Village, My Life
ny Can’t Wait for Change, Stupid Is Is. Monica’s boyfriends Wife’s seed donor Webb Hubbel baby daddy’s lil pumpkin is all growed up.
Since when does a Clinton
Since when does a Clinton need to be qualified to hold a congressional seat?
Since when is Lowey
Since when is Lowey qualified.
Gag me with a spoon, fer
Gag me with a spoon, fer real.
Another Clinton
Oh Lord, tell me this is BS. We don’t need another Clinton. We just got rid of the last Kennedy. No more worthless dynasties! Yes, I spelled that correctly.
Chelsea
I would say she is qualified….after all,she dropped out of Rodham’s ——
Robbins Mitchell
Houston,TX
Chelsea
`’—–‘
Oy!
Poor Noam.
Professional hand-bag holder.
First Nita, now Chelsea?
“Yes Ms. Mezvinsky, I’ll be right in, do you take sweet&low or equal?”
Noam’s not even qualified to
Noam’s not even qualified to fetch Chelsea coffee. The Clinton’s have intelligent qualified professionals to assist them. Noam is a hack and more likely a plagiarist. Have you heard Nita’s speeches, they are long winded and boring, just like Noam.
I think Anonymous is actually
I think Anonymous is actually Noam Bramson
Could be but I think they have Noam on Suicide watch.
They have taken away his shoe laces and belt and he is on 24 hour watch. He has been seen walking up and down Pinebrook counting Bramson Fertel Signs over and over.
Harvard University is running a study on Graduates who have failed to rise to the average success level of their institution. They are trying to figure our how so many have gone on to become leaders in Medicine, Law and Business while he has turned into New Rochelle’s own version of Vinny the Chin Gigante walking Pinebrook. Last words being muttered I should have been for Ikea right after I was against it before I was for it. Hey Lou Hey Joseph help me we can lick this LeCount opposition I throw in the Armory and a Basketball Skating rink.
What has she accomplished that makes her qualified?
Is being a member of the US Congress such a simple job that personal accomplishments are optional?
At the very least she needs to get her Wikipedia page Professional Life section expanded beyond 3 sentences.
The divine right of
The divine right of scoundrels.
I guess it would be good for her to run for Congress…
since she does not appear to have become qualified do do anything productive. She’ll be mostly harmless as a House Democrat for a number of years, I suspect.
Crony Capitalist?
Didn’t she work for the Avenue Capital Group? The 13th largest hedge fund in the world.
Correction
President and Secretary Clinton’s home is in the hamlet of Chappaqua. Which is in the Town of New Castle. Which although close to the border, is well within Nita Lowey’s 18th Congressional District. Not in Nan Hayworth’s 19th. As currently drawn, that is. Who knows what will happen after the legislature has their way with gerrymandering. Nan Hayworth lives equally close to the border, but on the Bedford side. A slight shift north or south could make for an exciting race!
Chelsea’s a “lock”
…for NY-18 about as much as Caroline Kennedy was a “lock” for Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat.
Not much of a “lock” at all.
Marjorie Margolies? Jesus
Marjorie Margolies? Jesus Hapsburg Christopher. Wasn’t she the one that fell on her sword for Bill Clinton to pass the tax hikes back in 1993? It cost her a seat, but won her a daughter-in-law. And what is it with NY and the residency requirement? People in most places would say “If you’re not from here, what makes you think you can represent us.” We might have well stayed British.
Boy Blunder
Power play from the top of the Democratic Party.
Democratic Royality pushes aside Mayor in waiting.
That’s my seat — he thinks!!! Wow the temper tantrums and face contortions are going to be unbelievable.
Didn’t the New Rochelle Dems. try to gerrymander all the Republicans out of business? Wouldn’t it be ironic that it happens to him?
Perhaps those pics of Bramson as a pimp caught the eyes of the Democratic Leadership.
Keep up the great work — Funtime.
That’s Just Great, Now Noam Will Write for Chelsea Instead
Can we “find” a seat for the Mayor like they’re finding a seat for Chelsea? Or will his speech writing duties include another 4 terms of mayorial bliss?
“Find a seat?”
This is a huge part of the problem with politics these days. When you’ve got a string of children, cousins, or whatever coming online out of these dynastic families, for which a “seat” must be “found”, something is wrong. Whatever happened to citizens from varied backgrounds running for office? What has the Kennedy clan produced since Jack and Bobby that is of any real consequence for anyone other than the makers of Chivas Regal and life preservers? This isn’t to disparage Chelsea’s intellect or qualifications, but why should the last name of Clinton guarantee her a seat, somewhere, anywhere?
So We Get 16 More Years of Bramson
This would be a quandry for me.
Happy to see the Boy Wonder mired as the Looser he is. But in this Happiness I realize we will never be rid of him.
Its like breaking a mirror we get 16 more years of Bad Luck.
I felt the same about Idoni &
I felt the same about Idoni & was glad to see him go but promoting him wasn’t the answer as his accomplishments in NR were sub-par.
As for Chelsea, does she have any connection to the 18th cd or is she just another liberal limousine carpet bagger like her mom?
If you think giving out
If you think giving out County permits is a promotion this was nothing but a means of keeping him from Bracelets and Shakles. He may as well be running a news stand.
RE: Your comments and opinions are GOLD!
I just want to thank you all for your feedback, it is priceless ! My favorite part of the morning is reading all your posts which are always informative and entertaining. So, thank you.
As for the current mayor’s ‘setback”? Now he knows what it feels like to play by the rules, pay one’s dues, and do one’s duty and GET the fuzzy end of the lollipop just like all the hardworking, law abiding, tax payers of New Rochelle do on a daily basis. What goes around comes around !
Bramson, were mad as hell,
Batman,
To the bat mobile, or New Rochelle is doomed! Gotham (New Rochelle) We need a caped crusader! Who will organise this bunch of crusaders on this webite. It is no longer Ok to just to sit behind our screen names and do nothing but complain. We need someone to organise, Strength in numbers! Maybe a protest in front of city hall, before election day. With a message to our leaders, were not going to take it any longer. No more curruption, no more tax increases. No more lop sided negotioatios with the teachers. No more bad deals with developers. Enough is enough, good taxpayers, Rise up and take our city back!
Go back to Arkansas and take
Go back to Arkansas and take your carpetbagging mom and dad with ya.