Washington--Hillary Clinton is poised to officially launch her 2016 presidential campaign this weekend, setting the stage for a bruising election battle as she bids to become the first woman elected to the White House.
Several US media reports citing sources in Clinton's campaign team said the 67-year-old was likely to announce her candidacy for the Democratic nomination on Sunday.
The former first lady is expected to be the clear Democratic frontrunner in the race to succeed Barack Obama, who pipped her for the nomination in a protracted battle in 2008.
Clinton is expected to announce her candidacy via social media and a video message, several reports said, followed by a low-key campaign swing through key state Iowa.
Spokespeople for Clinton and the Ready for Hillary organization did not comment.
The wife of former president Bill Clinton leads opinion polls among Democrats, some 60 percent of whom say they would vote for her in the primaries, according to the website RealClearPolitics.
Two other potential candidates -- Senator Elizabeth Warren and Vice President Joe Biden -- have not yet said they intend to run.
On the Republican side, Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz have already thrown their hats into the ring, with more candidates likely to follow -- including Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, brother to president George W. Bush and son of president George H.W. Bush.
A series of polls this year have consistently placed Clinton ahead of every one of her potential Republican challengers, although the gap has narrowed in recent weeks.
AFP
