Following the recent announcement that Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) would retire from Congress at the end of the current term, there was widespread talk in political circles that former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton might decide to throw her hat in the ring to succeed Lowey as the representative of New York’s 17th Congressional District, which covers the Chappaqua area that is home to Clinton’s famous parents, Bill and Hillary.
But the youngest of the Clintons just ended such speculation, at least for now, by stating emphatically on ABC’s The View that she has no intention of running for office at this point in time, the New York Post reports.
Clinton won’t seek Lowey’s seat
During a co-hosting appearance on the daytime talk program Wednesday, Clinton was asked by Whoopi Goldberg about the rumors that she would run for Lowey’s seat in Congress.
“I am not considering running for Congresswoman Lowey’s seat,” Clinton said to great dismay from the other women on the panel.
“I understand why people are asking, and someone has asked me some version of this question for literally as long as I can remember,” she continued, receiving agreement from fellow co-host Abby Huntsman, daughter of former Utah Gov. John Huntsman.
She proceeded to recall being as young as three or four and hearing questions about whether she would one day run for governor in Arkansas, the position her father held prior to becoming president.
“I share that because, I think it’s a question that shouldn’t just be asked of people whose last name is Clinton or Huntsman,” Clinton added, suggesting that all young people and women should be asked if running for office is something they would be interested in doing, and if so, be supported in such a venture.
Future run remains a possibility
Huntsman then asked Clinton if she anticipated running for office sometime down the road.
Clinton replied, “I don’t know, but right now the answer is no.” After co-host Meghan McCain expressed her disappointment in the news and how she hoped that would change in the future, Clinton suggested, “Maybe, but not now.”
The Post noted that as recently as 2018 Clinton issued a “definite maybe” when asked about a future run for political office.
“If my city councilor were to retire, if my congresswoman were to retire, my senators, and I thought that I could make a positive impact, then I think I would really have to ask my answer to that question [of whether to run for office],” she said at the Edinburgh Book Festival, according to TIME magazine.
Things can obviously change between now and the 2020 election, but as of now, it appears that Clinton isn’t ready to follow in the political footsteps of her parents just yet.