What's Next For Hillary Clinton? Bernie Sanders Fights Back Against Donald Trump, But Former Nominee Remains Quiet

The world has heard relatively little from former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton since she lost the election to Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote. In contrast, her former opponent Bernie Sanders has been outspoken about the new president and some of his policies, leaving many to wonder what’s next for Clinton and her political career.

Rumors have circulated that the former secretary of state might be considering a run for mayor of New York City. A businessman and former Clinton donor said he talked to her about the possibility, according to real estate site the Real Deal.

“I spoke to her about it, but she didn’t indicate or signal to me [whether she would run],” John Catsimatidis told the Real Deal Tuesday. “She didn’t say never, she didn’t say no. In my personal opinion, it’s 50-50.”

Polls indicated that she’d likely beat incumbent mayor Bill de Blasio. A Quinnipiac poll released last week showed she would take 49 percent of the vote compared to his 30 percent. But other officials say a November 2017 run wasn’t likely.

“On a personal level, I lost a race in 2014 and it was on a much, much smaller scale than what she just lost. But I know there’s a time of healing that has to happen,” former Democratic Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor told Politico Monday. “So on a personal level, I know she just needs to get away for a while.”

The former candidate has instead been weighing options outside of a partisan political run, Politico reported. Clinton discussed opportunities with former President Barack Obama’s initiative, Organizing for Action, ways to help young leaders in the Democratic Party and ways to ensure the Democratic National Committee runs efficiently.

Sanders, on the other hand, has shown no signs of distancing himself from the political arena. The Vermont senator has repeatedly issued statements on Trump’s policies and positions, whether positive or negative. Sanders said Monday he would work with Trump on trade issues and applauded the executive order that removed the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. On Tuesday, Sanders denounced Trump’s claim of illegal voter fraud, calling the president's statements “nonsensical.” The senator also vowed to stop the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines after Trump signed an executive order Tuesday going forward with their construction.