Two new PACs primed for female president

Boyd, an attorney and longtime advocate for female candidates running for the White House, previously launched a PAC in 2001 to encourage women to run. 

{mosads}That group, American Women Presidents, supported both Democrats and Republicans.

As head of the PAC, Boyd encouraged then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas) to run in 2004. 

It raised about $30,000 overall during its 10-year lifespan. 

When Clinton ran in 2008, the group endorsed her for president and Boyd volunteered on Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign in Arkansas.

She ultimately voted for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and his vice-presidential nominee, Sarah Palin. 

In an email to The Hill, Boyd said she voted for the McCain-Palin ticket, “because I had been traveling the country for almost 10 years talking about the importance of women supporting women and I did not want to be a hypocrite.”

Asked whether the new PACs were formed to back Clinton, Boyd said that she’s “very excited about Hillary Clinton.” 

“As Secretary of State, she led our nation to a much stronger position globally. She has what it takes to bring people together to find solutions. And she has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all Americans,” Boyd wrote. 

The two new groups join three other super-PACs created to back Clinton specifically. Ready for Hillary PAC, HillaryFTW PAC and HILLARYCLINTONSUPERPAC were all launched this year. 

Of the three, Ready for Hillary has the highest profile and has been most active, even signing on former Clinton campaign staffers for its operation. Last week, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm lent her name to the organization’s first small-donor fundraising push.

All unauthorized by her campaign, the PACs’ founders say they hope to pave the way for the early Democratic frontrunner — but they also risk muddying her message before she has the opportunity to establish it for herself.  

EMILY’s List, the group working to elect female Democratic candidates to office, also launched an effort to elect a female president earlier this month.

Boyd demurred when asked whether the PAC was set up with any knowledge or help from any Clinton associates, or whether she hoped the PAC would work with Clinton’s campaign. 

“I think it’s too early to answer any of those questions,” she said.

Boyd also had no timeline for when she planned to clarify the PAC’s intentions going forward. 

The PAC has not yet set up a bank account and, according to a handwritten note on the filings, has collected no money.