Hillary’s former campaign chief insists she will NOT challenge Trump for the Presidency in 2020

Hillary’s former campaign chief John Podesta insists she will NOT challenge Trump for the Presidency in 2020

  • John Podesta said Clinton has told him she will not be running in 2020
  • He said he wished she were the President but ‘that’s in the past’
  • Podesta managed her scandal-ridden campaign in 2016 against Donald Trump
  • If Clinton were to challenge, she faces a raft of women hoping to make history

Hillary Clinton’s former campaign chief insists she will not challenge Donald Trump for the Presidency in 2020.

John Podesta says he ‘takes her at her word’ after the former Secretary of State told him she had no plans for a third run at the White House.

A number of Democrats have already stepped into the limelight in recent months hoping to solidify their chances of a successful challenge to Trump. 

Then Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her then campaign chairman, John Podesta, arriving in the Capitol to meet with Senate Democrats in July 2016

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then candidate Donald Trump during their second presidential debate in St Louis, Missouri in October 2016

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then candidate Donald Trump during their second presidential debate in St Louis, Missouri in October 2016

Then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and John Podesta before addressing a conference in 2011

Then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and John Podesta before addressing a conference in 2011

Podesta told CNN: ‘She’s not running for president. We’ve got a lot of great candidates out there right now, and I think the Democratic primary is going to be a spirited one with a lot of great ideas coming forward.’

He added that he wished she were the president, ‘but that’s in the past,’ and said there were some excellent candidates lining up for the DNC.

If Clinton were to run again she would have to go up against stiff opposition from a number of women hoping to become America’s first female president.

Those in the lineup include Democrat Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Kamala Harris of California; and Republican Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

However, CNN did report that despite Podesta’s comments there were murmurs that Clinton was having thoughts of running in the wake of the Roger Stone arrest and other indictments in the Mueller investigation.

Hat in the Ring: Senator Kamala Harris speaks during the the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing

Hat in the Ring: Senator Kamala Harris speaks during the the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing

Challenger: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, meets with residents at the Pierce Street Coffee Works cafe, in Sioux City, Iowa

Challenger: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, meets with residents at the Pierce Street Coffee Works cafe, in Sioux City, Iowa

Podesta was Clinton’s campaign manager through her historic bid for the presidency in 2016 when she became the first female nominee of the two major parties.

She fought a ferocious campaign against Trump whose sloganeering of ‘lock her up’ and referring to her as ‘Crooked Hillary’ hung heavily after devastating email leaks painted her as a corrupt Washington elitist.

Despite winning the popular vote by more than three million, she was unable to defeat him in the Electoral College.

Whoever does face Trump in the campaign for the 2020 election will be wary of Clinton’s shock loss to him in 2016 and the ruthless style which typified his campaign. 

Podesta told the broadcaster that Clinton was on a visit to Puerto Rico to meet with those who President Trump had ‘abandoned.’ 

Last week Senator Warren went to the US territory as part of her efforts to win the hearts of American voters, a visit to Puerto Rico is now seen as an obligatory step on the campaign trail for hopefuls. 

The Clintons are currently visiting Puerto Rico as part of their charity work to visit a people who John Podesta says President Donald Trump has 'abandoned'

The Clintons are currently visiting Puerto Rico as part of their charity work to visit a people who John Podesta says President Donald Trump has ‘abandoned’

Democrat Hopeful: Senator Elizabeth Warren told crowds on a recent visit to Puerto Rico that Trump was cruel and his wall was 'dumb'

Democrat Hopeful: Senator Elizabeth Warren told crowds on a recent visit to Puerto Rico that Trump was cruel and his wall was ‘dumb’

On the weekend the former Secretary of State landed in Puerto Rico with President Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, to carry out charity work for the President’s charity. 

On Monday, the Clintons met with Gov. Ricardo Rossello and toured parts of the island still struggling in the hurricane’s aftermath.

They also met with farmers, fishermen and small business owners in the southeastern part of the island, which is struggling to emerge from a 12-yearlong recession as its government tries to restructure a portion of its more than $70 billion public debt load.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk