Hillary Clinton should not run for president in 2020, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday in Naperville.
Clinton has been back in the spotlight recently with her new book “What Happened” due to come out next week. The book release tour is scheduled to come to Chicago’s Auditorium Theater Oct. 30.
“I think it’s time for our party to move to a new leadership, a new spokesperson,” said Durbin, an Illinois Democrat. “There are plenty in the wings plenty interested. I think she would be the first to say she had her chance.”
The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate was in Naperville Friday for a speaking engagement at the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health’s annual conference.
In a page from the forthcoming book that was leaked earlier this week, Clinton points to Sen. Bernie Sanders as contributing to her loss to President Donald Trump.
“When I finally challenged Bernie during a debate to name a single time I changed a position or a vote because of a financial contribution, he couldn’t come up with anything,” Clinton wrote in the book, according to an article published by the Washington Post. “Nonetheless, his attacks caused lasting damage, making it harder to unify progressives in the general election and paving the way for Trump’s ‘Crooked Hillary’ campaign.”
But including the base of supporters Sanders’ built up through his campaign is important for the Democratic party’s future, Durbin said.
“In fairness to Bernie Sanders, nobody took him seriously when he got started. He created not only a candidacy, but a movement that still has life in it,” Durbin said. “I think that the future of the Democratic party needs to include Bernie Sanders followers, and though we may not agree on everything, they’re an important progressive voice.”
And with nine democrats having announced plans to run in the 2018 Democratic 6th District primary for a chance to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, Durbin said he doesn’t expect to back any of the candidates in March.
“It’s unlikely that I will endorse in that primary,” Durbin said. “It’s certain I wouldn’t even consider it seriously until after filing has passed.”
