Gabrielle Giffords Reelection Bid Buzz After Return To Congress For Debt Ceiling Vote

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) made an emotional return to Congress Monday evening to vote on the debt ceiling deal. Her colleagues greeted her with a standing ovation, hugs, and cheers.

The sight of the congresswoman smiling on the House floor, smiling, waving, and greeting her colleagues by name seven months after she was shot in the head by a gunman in Tucscon, Ariz. has naturally sparked buzz about whether she will run for reelection next year.

On Tuesday, Giffords' close friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” that Giffords is continuing to focus on her recovery and is traveling back to Houston to continue her therapy, but that “We're certainly getting her ready to make sure she can run for reelection at the point they're ready to decide on that.”

“Her supporters in Arizona and across the country, her colleagues, are making sure she doesn't have to start from scratch when she makes that decision,” Wasserman Schultz said.

WATCH

Comments

[Howard Sternner]

03:54 PM on 08/04/2011

Anyone who runs against her is a Jackass

[Katherine Appello]

02:48 PM on 08/04/2011

It was wonderful and inspirational, wonderful to see and patriotic. Of course they should have muzzled the VP, as always. The Crackedhead Club comment, oye, so not okay, so not appropriate.

[alalehe]

11:39 AM on 08/04/2011

What pathetic fools we are to diminish Rep. Giffords' mental capacity. Were she Tea Party, you would all be hailing her as an immortal! You just stick to your skirt-chasing neocons, who preach: tax cuts only for the super-rich and more guns in schools!

[Roommate]

09:05 AM on 08/03/2011

ban all guns

[xamfra]

08:51 AM on 08/03/2011

I have all the sympathy in the world for Giffords, but I already think we have too low a standard for our elected officials. That our representatives not be clinically brain damaged doesn't seem an unreasonable requirement.

[srheard]

09:44 AM on 08/03/2011

Then every Congressperson that drinks too much would be disqualified. That would make D.C. a very dull place.

[CarlIII]

09:58 AM on 08/03/2011

Then Ron and Rand Paul have no business in our government.

[Q45]

08:39 AM on 08/03/2011

Seeing Gabby Gifford's back on the House floor on August 2nd was the second best celebration of the day.

[pseudonymXXVI]

08:35 AM on 08/03/2011

So is the senate seat out of the question? She could definitely win it.

[watoos013]

08:20 AM on 08/03/2011

If she were a Repub. it would be easier for her to come back. She would merely have to repeat talking points, even in a debate.

[watoos013]

08:18 AM on 08/03/2011

Repubs want to see her debate someone, first, insinuating diminished mental capacities. When they elect people who fear terror babies, who want to use 2nd amendment remedies if they lose, who have to say they aren't a witch. lol

[PARepublican]

07:59 AM on 08/03/2011

I hope the Dems don't use this tragedy to get her re-elected. You need to only look at her voting record. I want to see her debate someone.

[pseudonymXXVI]

08:41 AM on 08/03/2011

There are probably some on youtube somewhere, and her campaign website probably has her positions.

Using her tragedy to get reelected is irrelevant. She is incredibly popular in her district, and is an excellent campaigner. She won't need to use the tragedy, though seeing as how the opposition party has been calling Obama pretty much every name in the book, I don't think it would be entirely unethical.

[Michael Hallmark]

11:33 PM on 08/03/2011

She doesn't represent you.

[chadizzy]

04:49 AM on 08/03/2011

What a strong woman!

[tigerwoodjainwko]

03:12 AM on 08/03/2011

She suffered very severe nero trama that most people die from. She has a long recovery ahead of her and the truth is with that type injury, she will never be the same again. . Watch - http://wp.me/1sMVj

[jessicabrooks1]

02:41 AM on 08/03/2011

Congresswoman Giffords showed tremendous courage in voting today and helping rouse some semblance of unity with our government officials. http://bit.ly/pi10xl

[Demgirls]

02:00 AM on 08/03/2011

It is day to day for her according to her chief of staff. She won't be up for full time work so give her a break. She has proven herself enough. She is a courageous inspiration, but let her heal and stop over doing it, Wasserman.

[timotay89]

01:53 AM on 08/03/2011

With all due respect, how could someone ever win against her. How do you ever hope to win against someone who's been through what she's been through?

[David31]

03:56 AM on 08/03/2011

Yeah nothing against her but I'd be pretty upset if no one from her party challenges her just because of what happened. It was a terrible thing but it would also be terrible for people to vote with their emotions rather than based on the views and history of the candidates.

[PARepublican]

08:01 AM on 08/03/2011

That doesn't make her the best person for the job or John McCain would be president!