Hillary Clinton's campaign is devoid of substance and the former secretary of state is merely riding on her husband's coattails in her bid to win the White House, veteran Republican political consultant Mary Matalin tells
Newsmax TV.
Not only that, but most of Clinton's support consists of longtime loyalists and feminists, says Matalin, a former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney and campaign director for President George W. Bush.
"She doesn't have the depth of a following. Her following is derivative of her husband," Matalin said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show."
"She doesn't have a big, loyal faction in the Republican and the Democratic parties. She may have some loyal followers and some feminists and such, but she's just there because she's there. Because she's the wife of [former President Bill Clinton].
"Other than having been in public service for many years … what has she actually accomplished? …
Her record has been abysmal. I just don't think she has the depth of support necessary for going for the long haul."
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Clinton remains the Democratic presidential front-runner, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent, in second place and steadily rising in the polls.
But Matalin isn't sure that Sanders has the chops to win the nomination and believes the Democratic nominee could be a wild card.
"Rules are made to be broken, [and people can] jump in the race, if it's [Sen.] Elizabeth Warren [of Massachusetts], if it's [Vice President] Joe Biden or [former Sen.] Jim Webb of Virginia."
And does Matalin believe Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump will win the upcoming Iowa and New Hampshire contests? She isn't saying.
"You've got to stay there all night on a blustery cold night and you got to convince other people to vote for you. Trump might have that, I know that [Sen. Ted] Cruz [of Texas] does have that, and we'll just see what happens," Matalin told Steve Malzberg.
In New Hampshire, I think it is going to be a free for all. Then we get to South Carolina … I think I know Cruz has a spectacular ground game.
"And I think [former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is] going to do pretty well in New Hampshire, too. So I wouldn't call [the primaries] today."
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