Former President Bill Clinton is set to back Rep. Charlie Rangel, who’s seeking a record-setting 23rd term in Congress. And the endorsement couldn’t come at a better time: The Harlem district representative has fallen out favor with several notable politicos.
Mr. Rangel, 83, has had strained relations with President Obama since 2008, when he supported Hillary Clinton for president. And there’s also no love lost between Mr. Rangel and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. Mr. Rangel in 2013 backed city comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor, Politico reported. That, after Mr. de Blasio had endorsed Mr. Rangel’s re-election campaign in 1994, Politico reported.
The congressman’s campaign is expecting Mr. Clinton to take an active role that includes the use of his voice for automated telephone campaign calls, Newsmax reported.
The endorsement isn’t that surprising, given Mr. Clinton’s description of the congressman in his biography as a “unique public servant whose leadership was critical to many of my administration’s successes,” Newsmax reported.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rangel has more than paid his political dues to the former president.
In 1998, Mr. Rangel took a strong defensive stance for Mr. Clinton during his impeachment hearings. He followed that with a push for Mrs. Clinton to seek the Senate seat in New York in 2000, Newsmax reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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