Gillibrand Makes Her First Political Flip Flop Since Announcing Presidential Run

Gillibrand Makes Her First Political Flip Flop Since Announcing Presidential Run

Molly Prince on January 16, 2019

Democratic New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand reversed her position on allowing illegal immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses only a day after she announced that she would be seeking the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2020.

During her presidential campaign kickoff on Wednesday, Gillibrand told reporters in just outside of Troy, New York that she is now supportive of granting illegal immigrants the ability to procure a drivers’ license, reported the New York Daily News.

“I think we have to make it possible for people to provide for their families,” the New York senator said. “We need comprehensive immigration reform.Without doing that, you’re not going to get the problem solved for the rest of the country.”

Gillibrand notably expressed her opposition to the proposal in 2007 while she was serving as the congresswoman for New York’s 20th Congressional District, according to The Free Beacon. Instead, she supported legislation requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship prior to obtaining a driver’s license.

Gillibrand announced on Tuesday that she is launching an exploratory committee to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Only months earlier, she pledged prior to her midterm election she would serve her full six-year term if re-elected to the Senate. After she handily won re-election by 33 points in November, she seemingly walked back that pledge.

Following Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Gillibrand is the second senator, and second female senator, to declare their plans to begin the legal process of running for president in 2020.

Gillibrand’s campaign will likely focus on intersectionality and gender politics as she tries to carve out a niche in a potentially crowded Democratic primary field. She attended a private meeting with roughly 20 feminist leaders on Saturday, including feminist Gloria Steinem, asking for their assistance with her impending presidential run.