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Democrats can finally exhale.

Minutes after Hillary Clinton announced that she is running for President of the United States in 2016, she immediately became the Democratic front-runner for the White House.

From First Lady in the White House, to U.S. Senator, to presidential candidate in 2008, to Secretary of State, Clinton is certainly battle-tested but doesn’t appear to be battle-weary.

“Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top,” Clinton, a new grandmother, says in her video Sunday announcing her second historic presidential bid.

“Every day Americans need a champion and I want to be that champion,” Clinton said. “You can do more than just get by, you can get ahead and stay ahead because when families are strong, Americans are strong.”

“So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote because it’s your time and I hope you’ll join me on this journey,” Clinton said in her video.

As Clinton, 67, prepares to hit the campaign trail Tuesday, one critical question reverberates through the Black community: Will African-Americans turn out enthusiastically for Clinton the way Black folks rallied in huge numbers around Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012?

In the 2012 election, 95 percent of black voters cast a ballot for Obama, significantly contributing to his re-election. Only time will tell if Black voters can mobilize with the same level of excitement around Clinton’s historic candidacy, but her campaign is already hiring key African-American political strategists and advisors in Clinton’s New York and regional offices in an effort to court Black voters and shore up Black support across the country.

The campaign is getting a head start by bringing African-Americans into the campaign early. That should  silence any critics who would criticize Clinton for not hiring Black strategists.

Among Clinton’s African-American advisors are Karen Finney as Strategic Communications Adviser and Senior Spokesperson, Oren Shur as Director of Paid Media; Brynne Craig may serve as deputy national political director, Tyrone Gayle will head up one of Clinton’s regional press desks, Bernard Coleman will likely become the Clinton campaign’s director of Human Resources and Tracey Lewis, who was a Field Director for Clinton’s primary win in New Hampshire, will serve as primary states director; and Quentin James is the Black Americans director for “Ready for Hillary.”

In his new role, Quentin will mobilize leaders in the Black community around Clinton’s candidacy.

“I’m very excited to join Ready for Hillary and the amazing team they have assembled,” he said on the website. “Across the country, there is a tremendous amount of grassroots support in the Black community for a Hillary run for the White House, and Ready for Hillary is the place to gather and build upon that support.”

Hillary Clinton Declares Candidacy: Will Black Voters Help Her White House Bid?  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

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