It pays to have Hillary Clinton in your extended family.
On Thursday evening, the former secretary of state and potential presidential candidate will headline a Manhattan fundraiser for daughter Chelsea’s mother-in-law, Marjorie Margolies, who is trying to win back her old House seat representing the Philadelphia suburbs.
The fundraiser marks Clinton’s first stumping event of the election cycle. She has largely stayed away from political races, choosing instead to deliver paid speeches to industry groups and conferences, speaking on college campuses and giving remarks at events hosted by her family’s Clinton Foundation.
If Clinton is planning on fundraising on behalf of other candidates for the 2014 midterms, no dates have been made public. Josh Schwerin, national press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats in the House, told msnbc: “As soon as Secretary Clinton is ready, we would love to have her campaign for Democrats in any district in the country.”
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the DCCC’s counterpart for the upper chamber of Congress, declined to comment on Clinton’s participation. Requests for comment from Team Clinton were not immediately returned.
The former first lady’s decision to largely stay out of the races (except for campaigning for friend Terry McAuliffe’s successful Virginia gubernatorial bid last year) makes sense, says Democratic strategist Maria Cardona.
To put simply, “it’s family,” said Cardona on Clinton’s decision to fundraise for Margolies. “Hillary is someone who has the luxury right now on making decisions on who she wants to support and if she wants to get into the political fray with the clear understanding that every step she takes will be look at under a microscope” in regards to 2016.
The fundraiser for Margolies will be held at 5:30 p.m. – five days before the Democratic primary — in the home of Lynn Forester de Rothschild, who runs a private investment firm. Attendees will reportedly fork over $1,000 to $5,000 for a ticket. Forester, who has fundraised for Clinton in the past, has been an outspoken critic of President Obama. After Clinton lost to Obama in the 2008 primary, she endorsed GOP Sen. John McCain.
Margolies told msnbc that she would not be in attendance at the Big Apple fundraiser because she has another dinner to attend. Clinton, Margolies recounted, told her: “Go to the dinner and we will handle this.” The candidate said she was “very appreciative” that Clinton agreed to headline the event even though she hasn’t been on the campaign circuit. Margolies’ son, Marc Mezvinsky, and Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, announced last month that they are expecting a baby.
Margolies, who served in Congress from 1993-1995, is in a four-way primary for the blue House seat that’s being vacated by Rep. Allyson Schwartz, who is running for governor. Margolies, who enjoyed an early lead in the race, is now in a heated battle with state Rep. Brendan Boyle.









