If not Hillary Clinton, who? 20 women who could shatter the glass ceiling

Hillary Clinton may not have won the White House, but she asked supporters to be hopeful that one day, the presidential glass ceiling would be broken.

“I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday, someone will -- and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.”

There are a number of women in the traditional political sphere that are logical candidates, but as the 2016 election shows, you can’t discount unconventional possibilities either. Here are 20 noteworthy names.

Gov. Nikki Haley

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is no stranger to breaking barriers. Elected in 2011, she became the first woman governor of South Carolina and at age 44, she’s the youngest current governor in the country. She made headlines in the wake of a horrific shooting at a historically black church in Charleston in 2015. After the shooting, Haley called for the Confederate flag to be removed from the statehouse grounds following protests from many across the state.

Haley, a Republican, is also the daughter of Indian immigrants. In addition to being South Carolina’s first female governor, she’s also the first Indian-American to hold that office in the state. 

Michelle Obama

The First Lady was a fierce surrogate for Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail, with her speeches getting the viral social media treatment. She even coined the famous “When they go low, we go high” line.

Naturally, the internet is campaigning for Obama 2020. But FLOTUS has said in the past she has no interest in seeking political office. 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a familiar face in the Democratic party, and a favorite among progressives. She was also a frequent surrogate for Hillary Clinton throughout the general election.

Warren has fought for women’s rights and is an outspoken critic of Wall Street.

Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and author of “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”.

She has been a leading voice for working mothers, and her book is often used as a reference for how to get ahead in the workplace.  

Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice was secretary of state under George W. Bush. She was also the first woman and first African-American to serve as provost of Stanford University in the 1990s. Although she is a Republican, Rice was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump throughout his campaign.

Like Michelle Obama, she’s also been a favorite of social media users to run for the presidency.

Huma Abedin

Huma Abedin is one of Hillary Clinton’s closest aides. Abedin has been by Clinton’s side since her time as First Lady, and was deputy chief of staff when she was secretary of state. 

Abedin has also faced her fair share of controversy. Her husband, former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner, has been the subject of an ongoing sexting scandal since 2011. In August, she announced they were separating. 

Wendy Davis

Former Texas state Senator Wendy Davis gained national attention in the summer of 2013, when she filibustered a Texas bill that would restrict abortion access across the state. Though she was able to successfully delay the bill, it was passed in a later session.

Davis also ran for governor of Texas in 2014, but lost to Republican Greg Abbott.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Illinois Senator-elect Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. Army veteran who lost both of her legs during the Iraq war. Before winning her Senate race, she represented Illinois in the House of Representatives. 

Duckworth’s mother is of Thai and Chinese heritage, and her father was also a U.S. Army veteran. She has made veterans rights a major focus of her career, and served as assistant secretary at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Trump, daughter of President-elect Donald Trump, is also a successful businesswoman in her own right.

She founded her own fashion company now worth $250 million, and serves as an executive vice president for The Trump Organization. Ivanka Trump has also been an outspoken supporter of women in the workplace and maternal leave for mothers.

She was also an influential figure on the campaign trail for her father. Ivanka was the go-to voice for women’s issues, and is well liked by even Donald Trump’s critics.

Sen. Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris previously served as California’s attorney general, and is now senator-elect for the state. A rising star in the Democratic party, she made criminal justice reform a key issue of her campaign.

Harris is half black, half Indian. She is only the second black woman and the first Indian-American elected to the Senate. 

Susan Rice

Susan Rice is currently a White House National Security Advisor, and a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. 

Carly Fiorina

Carly Fiorina competed against Donald Trump and 15 other men in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries. She’s the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

Fiorina ran on a platform of conservative principals, is an outspoken pro-life advocate, and supported cutting funding for Planned Parenthood.

Chelsea Clinton

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton, has mostly remained out of the public eye since her father left office. Her mother’s 2008 and 2016 campaigns both put her briefly back in the spotlight.

Clinton is the vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, has worked as a journalist, and is the author of “It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!”

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria is an actress, producer, and political activist. She spoke at both the 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Conventions, and she actively campaigned for President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin has been a popular Republican figure since her run for vice president alongside Sen. John McCain in 2008. The conservative former governor of Alaska has worked as a contributor for Fox News and has a passionate social media following.

Palin campaigned for Donald Trump throughout the 2016 election, and has said she would be interested in a cabinet position in his administration.

Loretta Lynch

Loretta Lynch is United States attorney general and a graduate of Harvard Law School. During her time in office, she has made an effort to heal the relationship between police officers and the Justice Department.

Lynch received some backlash earlier this year, when she met with former President Bill Clinton at an airport while her department was involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

Meg Whitman

Meg Whitman, the current CEO of Hewlett Packard, is a successful businesswoman and ran for governor of California in 2010. She is a life-long Republican and has also been a major fundraiser for the party throughout the years.

Whitman initially supported Chris Christie in his bid for president, but ultimately campaigned for Hillary Clinton in an effort to defeat Donald Trump.

Maria Shriver

Maria Shriver is an activist, author, and journalist. She is also the ex-wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the niece of President John F. Kennedy.

In recent years, Shriver has focused one finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and providing quality care for those suffering from the disease.

Melinda Gates

Philanthropist Melinda Gates has donated billions of dollars since she and her husband, Bill Gates, founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. She focuses her efforts on initiatives that empower women and girls, support families, and provide opportunities for education all over the world.

According to leaked emails allegedly belonging to Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, Gates and her husband were both on the list for consideration to be Clinton’s VP.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is a business mogul, former journalist, philanthropist and producer. She has been an outspoken champion for civil and women’s rights through out her career, and endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.

Oprah is a beloved figure in American entertainment who could have the potential to gain a large following. But like Michelle Obama, she has also denied that she’d ever seek the office.