Even if not contesting 2020 polls, Hillary Clinton will not be entirely out of scene

Washington, March 6: Former US first lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton might have ruled herself out of the presidential election next year but she is by no means out of the scenario altogether.

The Hill cited sources close to Hillary saying that she will seek to play an active role by engaging in fundraising, unifying the Democratic Party which is not in a great shape and even making timely endorsements. The 71-year-old had contested the 2016 presidential election but lost to Republican Donald Trump even though she got more votes.

"The trajectory is to do what she did in 2018 and more," The Hill quoted an old friend of Hillary as saying.

"I think that she is in a position to help the party come together, and depending on how things play out, that is something that she can do sooner than when she secured the nomination in 2016. If Democratic voters and activists start to coalesce around someone early, she can play an important role in bringing candidates together around that individual."

Speculation was on for a long time over Hillary's contesting for the presidential post once again. She had lost the campaign in 2008 to fellow Democrat Barack Obama who went on to become the president. Hillary served as the secretary of state in the Obama presidency between 2009 and 2013. She had also served as the senator from New York between 2001 and 2009.

On Monday, March 4, Hillary told in an interview with News 12, a local New York television station that she was not running for the election again but added that she will continue to work, speak and stand up for her beliefs.

A lot of Democrats - quite a few of them women - have already joined the presidential race for 2020.