Three leading presidential candidates in both parties can lay claim to New York as their home state. Hillary Clinton, who wasn’t born there but represented New York in the Senate, played up her ties to the state during a campaign stop Wednesday.
“This is a city that likes to get things done. And that’s what we need in our president too,” Clinton said during her campaign stop at the Apollo in Harlem, after being introduced by Sen. Chuck Shumer.
“New Yorkers took a chance on me and I will never forget that. You’ve always had my back and I’ve always tried to have yours,” Clinton said, before launching into a long remembrance of the 9/11 attacks.
Reminding the crowds that she led the fight for a bill to protect the health of first responders at the World Trade Center, Clinton praised the “heroism” and bravery of New York. She also extolled the city’s diverse population and energy, before turning her attention to another New Yorker in the race, Republican Donald Trump.
“New York represents the best of America and together we can take down the worst,” Clinton said of Trump. She added, “I don’t have to tell you this is a wild election year. We’re not taking anything or anyone for granted.”
Clinton’s Democratic primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders was born and raised in Brooklyn and Trump is from Manhattan. On stage Wednesday Clinton exclaimed how great it was to be back in New York “live at the Apollo” and laughed at jokes about “bagels n schemer.”
Clinton currently leads Sanders in New York by 35 points, according to an average of state polls, but the Sanders campaign has said that they believe they will be able to score an upset.
But Clinton is already turning her attention to the general election, calling Trump a “loose cannon” and saying that what’s happening on the Republican side is “truly scary.”
Clinton concluded, “Boy, did I learn a lot serving the people of this state, now I’m once again asking for your confidence.”
