Hillary Rodham Clinton, First Woman to Be a Presidential Candidate in Every Primary and Caucus

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s road to the presidential nomination started when she was elected to the United States Senate in 2000. As “the first First Lady of the United States elected to public office and the first woman elected independently statewide in New York State,” Clinton has set a standard for political “firsts” and paved the way for women in public service.

With a focus on ending the Iraq War, U.S. energy independence, women’s rights, immigration reform and health care, Clinton has been instrumental in introducing legislation that supports these platforms. A list of many of Clinton’s quotes about key issues, as well as voting record information on important topics, can be found at On The Issues.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947, Clinton graduated from Yale Law School. She is married to former President Bill Clinton and has one daughter, Chelsea. She is the author of several best-selling books, including her autobiography, “Living History.”

In January 2008, Clinton recovered from her loss in the Iowa caucus to win the New Hampshire primary, becoming the first woman in U.S. history to achieve that feat. Often criticized for possessing a demeanor that was too tough to be appealing, Clinton surprised the American public when she broke down in tears. The Boston Globe wrote that voters were receptive to Clinton’s emotional side, calling it “a genuine response to the enormous pressure of today's make-or-break moment and the exhaustion of campaigning around the clock for weeks.” In an interview with CNN, Clinton explained that she usually tried to be reserved because she wanted to be judged for her work.

Clinton was the first woman to be in a presidential primary and caucus in every state, but she ultimately lost to Illinois Senator Barack Obama. In a heartfelt concession speech, she thanked voters for putting cracks in the glass ceiling and urged Democrats to unite in support of presumptive nominee Barack Obama.

Although Clinton downplayed the fact that she was a woman while campaigning, she freely addressed the subject in her concession speech, which employed some of the best rhetoric of her campaign. She told voters that the glass ceiling was still intact, but that they had put 18 million cracks in it. She underscored her campaign’s progressive achievements, telling supporters, “because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States.”