Gillibrand Campaign Press Release - Kirsten Gillibrand Officially Announces Campaign for President of United States

Today, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand officially launched her campaign for President of the United States with a video called "Brave Wins." At the end of the video, she announced that her first major speech will be in front of Trump International Hotel in New York City, next Sunday, March 24th.

This concludes a two-month exploratory phase of the campaign, during which Gillibrand began introducing herself to voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, California and Texas. During the exploratory campaign, Gillibrand earned strong reviews on the ground as she traveled to early states, connecting with voters one-on-one in living rooms, coffee shops, local breweries and women-owned businesses. From day one, she ventured to rural communities and listened to voters who don't see national Democrats often -- kicking off her first trip in rural western Iowa and being the first to visit the North Country of New Hampshire.

"Brave Wins" uses the Star Spangled Banner to highlight that bravery in our country has not always been certain and is constantly a choice. To that point, "Brave Wins" directly takes on President Trump for his agenda of cowardice, hate and fear. Gillibrand highlights the choices that so many Americans have made to be brave - today and in our nation's history - that have inspired her career in public service and now her run for President of the United States.

WATCH:

Official Launch Week Overview:

Following her third trip to New Hampshire, Gillibrand will officially kick off her campaign as the first candidate to hold a major event in the must-win state of Michigan. From a suburban swing district that flipped from red to blue in 2018, Gillibrand will join Chris Hayes for MSNBC's first 2020 candidate town hall, airing Monday night at 8 pm EST. She will also be the first to join Governor Gretchen Whitmer on the 2020 trail that evening.

Gillibrand will then make her third visit to Iowa, where she's been praised locally for giving "possibly the best rally speech of the field," and the candidate "having the most fun on the trail." Gillibrand was the first to announce a four-stop Mississippi River tour through key parts of Southeast Iowa that are critical to winning statewide. Next she'll visit Nevada for her first trip of the campaign, meeting caucus goers and key local leaders.

On Thursday night, in a return appearance, tune in to Showtime's Desus & Mero recorded with Gillibrand in Troy, New York earlier this year. Gillibrand was the first U.S. Senator to appear on Desus & Mero's previous show, and she will be the first 2020 presidential candidate on their new late night program.

Gillibrand will close the week with an outdoor speech and rally in front of Trump International Hotel in New York City—taking her positive, brave vision of restoring America's moral integrity straight to President Trump's doorstep. Inside and outside the halls of Congress, Gillibrand has repeatedly proven she is not afraid of taking on the big fights to change systems of power and take on greed, corruption and lies in Washington. With the strongest anti-Trump voting record in the U.S. Senate, she is committed to fighting for what's right, even when it's hard.

"Brave Wins" Script:

Our anthem calls America "the home of the brave." But we don't realize that the lyrics first pose it as a question.

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

It asks, "will brave win?" Well, it hasn't always. And it isn't right now.

Brave doesn't pit people against each other. Brave doesn't put money over lives. Brave doesn't spread hate. Cloud truth. Build a wall. That's what fear does.

We need to remember what if feels like to be brave. We launched ourselves into space and landed on the moon.

If we can do that, we can definitely achieve universal health care. We can provide paid family leave for all, end gun violence, pass a Green New Deal, get money out of politics and take back our democracy. None of this is impossible.

Americans are brave, everyday: The father risking his job to fight for his family. The mom taking on 6am shifts and 6pm classes. The formerly well-behaved women speaking up. The neighbors linking arms.

They're making a choice. And it's these brave choices that inspire me to take on the fights others won't.

When I voted against the Wall Street bailout while both parties threw billions at the banks, when I took on the Pentagon to end to sexual assault in the military, when I turned a red district blue against all odds, when I challenged Congress by making my meetings, finances and taxes public. So people could see I was working for them.

I took your lead. I chose brave too.

We need a leader who makes big, bold, brave choices. Someone who isn't afraid of progress.

That's why I'm running for president. And it's why I'm asking you for your support.

Our anthem asks a question, forcing every generation to make a choice. Will brave win?

Let's answer for ours.

SUPER:
Meet me at Trump International in New York City – Next Sunday, March 24.
Brave wins. Gillibrand 2020.