Ayanna Pressley Quotes

I've never sought elected office since I was a senior class president in high school.

Let men in office substitute the midnight oil for the limelight.

I was in civil society long before I was ever in politics or my husband was ever even elected president.

I would not run for president. I really like what I'm doing now. People say I'm giving them energy and hope.

At the moment I am a little bit politician, yes. I think that could be my next step. It is not because I want power, it is because of what I think I could do for the people.

I would like to run for the mayor of the city of Chicago. That has always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.

I thought I could make a difference, so I ran for office.

If a guy doesn't work hard and doesn't play well, he can't lead anything. All he is, is a talker.

I have always told anyone who would listen that I was available for more public service.

This gets back to the fundamental lesson of political survival that Bill Clinton taught me, which is if you make it about the American people's lives instead of your life, you're going to be okay.

Obama used to be a community organizer. He knows how to build communities.

I never doubted that I would be a good mayor. I never did.

It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania.

Mitt Romney is a nice guy. But, we know where nice guys finish in politics.

I didn't run for student council president. I don't see myself in any way in elected office. I love policy. I'm not particularly fond of politics.

Nobody understood better than Mr. Lincoln the obvious truth that in politics it does not suffice merely to nominate candidates. Something must also be done to elect them.

I am very proud to come back, to speak on the disinterested effort we have made and I believe that, with all due respect, that the decisions we made, when we turned our final report over to President Johnson, will stand in history.

Public service is a noble career. You can’t do it unless you get out there and run…. You can make a difference if you are elected.

Yes! I have climbed to the top of that greasy pole.

There are two rules for mayors: Be there and do something.

As a politician, you can run from your problems or run toward your problems.

You might be considering elected office because you are angry with those in power. Indignation can be a motivator to run but not to govern. If you win you'll need more than anger to govern.

Once you've been a mayor, you look to try to get things done.

I'm doing a good job in Washington.

I'm thinking of trying to talk Jonathan Toews into running for Congress. We could use him.