2016 Presidential Poll: Hillary Clinton Ahead; What’s Next For Health Care?

Some of us may still be recovering from the excitement of the 2012 presidential race. But, when asked just after Election Day when prospective candidates begin mulling future bids, a local politico in Pennsylvania answered with one word: "Now."

Former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is leading all other candidates in a recent polling data released this week. Some say she has been eyeing the White House since January 2000 when she and her husband left to make room for President George W. Bush. Others have said that she's either too old or too exhausted with political life to even think about running a nonstop campaign.

One thing is clear: her popularity is just as high if not higher than when she held the role of first lady. In a Quinnipiac University poll released this week, the one-time New York democratic senator leads prospective republican, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey by 8 percentage points. Christie, who some say has lost popularity in conservative circles because of his repeated praise for the Obama administration during Hurricane Sandy, is just one of a number of republican names being floated as potential nominees.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and even freshman Senator Ted Cruz of Texas are among the other names being mentioned. Hillary is predicted to face off with and beat Democrats ranging from Vice President Joe Biden to Martin O'Malley, the progressive governor of Maryland.

Despite the uproar of support for Clinton, she has recently been less vocal than some might expect about getting into the race.

"Secretary of State [will likely be] my last public position," she told journalist Barbara Walters.

Clinton said she would "return to advocacy" and concentrate more on her personal life.

One idea that has been synonymous with Clinton's advocacy is nationalized health care. Her mandate for a wide-ranging "Hillarycare" program gave the republican-controlled Congress headaches in the 1990s. Now, with a similar program signed into law by President Obama and set to be increasingly implemented throughout the next two years, she shows no signs of wanting to change course. Many possible republican candidates, including recent primary challenger former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, have pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act if elected. Since President Obama was reelected before related tax hikes took effect in January, it remains to be seen whether Hillary's longstanding position on the will be able to propel her back into the White House, if she chooses to run.