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MSNBC: New York Not a Certain Win for Hillary Clinton

April 1, 2016

Hillary Clinton is doubting the extent of her predicted win over Bernie Sanders in New York, MSNBC contributor John Heilemann said Friday on Morning Joe.

Heilemann said Clinton does not "have a lock" on New York, even though she lives in the state and served as New York senator for eight years.

"I do not think she [has a lock on New York] and I don't believe the Clinton campaign thinks she does," he said.

He said that while Clinton has high odds of winning constituencies in Manhattan, Sanders has appeal in the rest of the state.

"She will come in as the front-runner without a doubt, and she has a strong hold on a lot of constituencies that matter a lot in New York City, but Sanders will be a strong candidate upstate," Heilemann said. "He may be a pretty strong candidate on Long Island. He could be a quite strong candidate in both Brooklyn and in Queens."

Clinton may have won in New York twice, he said, "but it was ten years ago," and Sanders’s presence threatens her expectations of a crushing victory in the state. In response to Sanders’s success, Heilemann said that the Clintons have shifted around their campaign schedule to raise their chances of winning.

"Sanders will give her … a run for her money, and [the Clinton campaign] certainly expect that to be the case, which is why Bill and Hillary Clinton have been in New York much of this week rather than here in Wisconsin." Heilemann said.

Clinton first ran for the Senate in 2000, and she was re-elected in 2006 before launching her failed bid for the presidency in 2008. Clinton ultimately served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, who vanquished her in the Democratic primary. Sanders is attempting to once again spoil the hopes of the front-running Clinton.