WASHINGTON — The continued volatility of the Republican presidential field, and the sheer tameness of the Democratic one, have convinced prominent backers and donors for Hillary Clinton that she should take her time before announcing her candidacy.
In late January, Politico reported that Clinton was thinking of delaying the launch of her campaign from April until July. The move reflected both a lack of a sense of urgency to enter the race and a worry that jumping into the electoral fray might sully Clinton’s standing with the public. The idea was received coolly in the press, which noted that staying away from the campaign trail is an odd strategy for winning a campaign.
For those cheering Clinton on, however, the downsides appear incredibly limited. They counter that the media’s criticism is mainly a product of its self-interest, which would be served by Clinton announcing a presidential bid.
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“You have this big donors base out there that [Mitt] Romney built,” Mehiel said. “If he isn’t in the race, there is a scramble for those people. Jeb Bush can’t wait months because people will get claimed.”
“I’m not sure the donor base for the Clintons is going anywhere until they hear from Hillary,” he added. “If she wants to announce in July instead of February, it doesn’t change my calculus.”
