Hillary Clinton, then Secretary of State, decided to run for president in April 2015. Clinton had served as a U.S. Senator (2001–09) and was the First Lady of the U.S. (1993–2001). A January 2013 "Washington Post"–ABC News poll showed that she had high popularity among the American public. This polling data made many political critics and observers to anticipate that Clinton would launch a second presidential bid in 2016, entering the race as the early front-runner for the Democratic nomination.