Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is making her second presidential bid and enters the race in a strong position to succeed her one-time rival, President Barack Obama. (AP Photo)
Chicago — Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign will center on boosting economic security while casting the former senator and secretary of state as a “tenacious fighter” able to get results, two senior advisers said ahead of her planned campaign launch Sunday.
They provided the first preview of the message that Clinton planned to convey when she launches her long-anticipated campaign with an online video. Until now, the former first lady has offered only hints of what would drive her if she were to make a second bid to become the first female president.
Clinton, who lost the 2008 nomination to President Barack Obama, will skip a flashy kickoff rally in favor of conversations with voters about the economic needs of middle class families and the next generation.
Clinton will enter the race as the overwhelming favorite for her party’s nomination. Still, her team has said her early strategy is designed to avoid appearing to take that nomination for granted. She will contend with Republicans in Congress who are investigating her use of a private email account and server during her four-year tenure as secretary of state.
Should she win the nomination, Clinton would face the winner of a crowded Republican primary field that could feature as many as two dozen candidates. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the brother and son of former presidents, is likely to run, setting up a potential Clinton-Bush showdown if he manages to win the Republican nomination.