Hillary Clinton to visit Las Vegas on Thursday
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a Democrat who may run for president in 2016, will visit Las Vegas on Thursday to address a scrap metal recycling conference as she makes a three-state West Coast tour of paid speaking engagements.
Clinton is scheduled to deliver the keynote address to The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries’ annual conference, which has drawn about 6,000 attendees to Mandalay Bay, according to organizers. The Washington D.C.-based trade group represents the recycling industry in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Clinton’s Las Vegas stop was recently added to her planned West Coast tour, which includes speaking stops in California and Oregon as well, according to CNN. Her trip began Tuesday.
All of Clinton’s events were initially closed to media coverage, including the Las Vegas address, but were recently opened to the press after her aides gave their approval.
Clinton’s growing emergence on the public stage suggests she is preparing for another White House run.
Early polls show Clinton is the far ahead Democratic favorite to run for president, but she has not announced her plans. In 2008, she lost the Democratic primary to Barack Obama, who appointed her secretary of state when he became president. She served in the job from January 2009 until February 2013 and was succeeded by former U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
A national Washington Post-ABC News survey in late January, for example, showed Clinton with an overwhelming 6-to-1 lead over other Democrats in a potential 2016 presidential primary. She won 73 percent support of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents polled. Vice President Joe Biden was second at 12 percent and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was third with 8 percent.
On the Republican side, the survey showed support for the potential GOP field scattered and backing for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie falling in the wake of a scandal over his aides tying up bridge traffic to punish a local mayor who didn’t support his 2013 re-election. Christie has said he had no knowledge of the political payback scheme.
The Post-ABC poll put U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., at the head of the GOP pack with 20 percent support. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was second at 18 percent followed by Christie in third at 13 percent. They were followed by U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida at 12, 11 and 10 percent respectively.
Clinton would beat the potential GOP field in a general-election match up as well, leading Christie among registered voters, 53 percent to 41 percent, for example, although any real White House contest is expected to be much closer by 2016.
In California, Clinton plans to speak at events in the cities of San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego, CNN reported. In Portland, Ore., she is scheduled to speak to an international affairs group about “Women Changing the World,” CNN said.
The former first lady’s trip will be followed by Ready for Hillary, a super PAC that is urging Clinton to run for president. In each of her stops, the group will have organizers signing people up and handing out buttons and bumper stickers. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, served two White House terms from 1993 to 2001.
Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.
