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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announces bid for presidency

By Darryl Coote
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is planning to run for president in 2020. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is planning to run for president in 2020. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York announced Tuesday that she is running for president.

During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Gillilbrand said she was filing for an exploratory committee for the 2020 campaign.

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"I'm going to run for president of the United States because as a young mom, I'm going to fight for other people's kids as hard as I would fight for my own," she told the late-night host.

The audience cheered when Gillibrand said she believes "healthcare should be a right and not a privilege."

The announcement follows her hiring of several senior aides late last week, the New York Times reported.

She could begin campaigning as early as this weekend, with Politico reporting that she is planning to visit Iowa over the weekend.

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Gillibrand has long been a critic of Republican President Donald Trump, having previously called for his resignation over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Other high-profile candidates who have announced their intention to seek the Democratic Party's nomination include Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Julian Castro, who has served as mayor of San Antonio and as housing secretary in the Obama administration.

Officially, more than 450 people have registered with the Federal Election Commission to run.

"Tonight I announced that I'm preparing to run for president, because I believe we're all called to make a difference," Gillibrand said in a tweet. "I believe in right vs. wrong -- that wrong wins when we do nothing."

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