Bill Clinton Not Endorsing Charlie Rangel In Bid For 22nd Term

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Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) is seeking a 22nd term in the House of Representatives, but he will not be receiving any support from former President Bill Clinton this year. A report in the New York Post on Friday reveals that Clinton will be sitting this cycle out and will not be making an endorsement in New York's 15th congressional district's Democratic primary.

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The Post reports that Rangel will face voters in his district without Clinton's support, which proved critical in his last reelection effort:

Clinton strongly backed Rangel's re-election in 2010 when the incumbent was under fire for House ethics-rules violations that later led to a congressional censure.

Rangel faced a stiff challenge in 2010 from Adam Clayton Powell IV, grandson of Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. ' who Rangel defeated in 1970 after he had served eight terms in the House representing Harlem.

Rangel narrowly defeated Powell in 2010 with 50 percent to 24 percent, but polls of the district ahead of the primary showed Rangel would win 60 percent of the vote.

Rangel has been a staunch supporter of the Clintons ' backing them publically during President Clinton's impeachment proceedings and supporting then Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid over Barack Obama.

The Post reports that one of Rangel's opponents is a former aide with the Harlem-based Clinton Foundation, Clyde Williams. Rangel faces another challenge from a New York state Senator:

Meanwhile, former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carríon yesterday endorsed another Rangel opponent, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat. Carríon, who is considering a run for mayor and has praised Rangel's tenure, said it's time for a change.

The local Democratic party's inability to back a single candidate to face Rangel in the upcoming primary helped him narrowly win reelection in 2010. That same phenomenon could help sustain his political career this time around as well.

h/t New York Post

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• Good for him. Although it hardly a bold move this late in the day. Rangel is a poster child for term limits (although they have their own problems).

• What kind of manufactured crap story is this? Rangel is safe in his district until he dies or retires. And he didn't 'narrowly' win re-election in 2010. He solidly won re-election in 2010. Why can't Mediaite drum up crap stories like this against Republican candidates? Because left-wingers aren't deranged enough to post a bunch of comments the way venom filled right-wingers are? Mediaite stories are SO OFTEN written and styled to attract right-wing outrage. The stories too often look like nothing more than right-wing propaganda. But I guess if it keeps the bills paid'

• 'Rangel narrowly defeated Powell in 2010 with 50 percent to 24 percent' ' Noah ' you need to rephrase the B.S you wrote .. because it makes no-sense

  BTW what's the big fascination with this primary race all of a sudden by you conservatives???

• Clinton is clearly a racist for not supporting Rangel

• I'm not convinced that if an active campaigner of a Republican ex-President declined to campaign for a long time, scandal ridden congressman it wouldn't make some mild news. 

  There are too many story lines to ignore.

• Very true, his seat is very safe.  I mean, it's not like he was a tax cheat'oh wait.

• A good decision on Clinton's part' Rangel brought this upon himself with his actions, and I'm pleased to see that Clinton won't be a part of it.