Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently endorsed same-sex marriage through a video with the Human Rights Campaign, saying that “gay rights are human rights.” For many people, this is a major indicator that she is running for president in 2016, and they may be right.

Clinton had to come out and support same-sex marriage because, if she runs in 2016, she will have to face several other Democrats who support it. Two notable potential candidates are New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, both of whom signed laws in their states making same-sex marriage legal.

To run for national office as a Democrat, candidates will have to support same-sex marriage. By supporting same-sex marriage, Hillary Clinton is preparing herself and her inevitable campaign for the White House.

Some people believe it is just too soon to be thinking about the next presidential campaign—they are wrong. 

While President Barack Obama is currently serving his second four year term, he does not have four years to get what he wants. Instead Obama, or any second termed president, only has about 18 months to build his legacy.

In fewer than 18 months, the 2014 midterm election season will begin, and everyone’s focus with shift to that. Once the midterms are over, the focus will shift to 2016. People who want to run for president in 2016 cannot wait until 2014 to begin their campaigns. Instead, they have to start as soon as the most recent presidential election ends.

Candidates have to start building their name recognition unless they are like Hillary Clinton and have been in the public spotlight for decades. The only other potential candidate with name recognition would be former Governor Jeb Bush, but he is not in the spotlight as much as Clinton.

Some people have drawn parallels between Clinton’s recent video and the video that started her 2008 presidential campaign. Both feature the former First Lady sitting down and addressing the audience, discussing the America she knows and her vision for the future.

Clinton is the most popular politician in America, beating Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, according to a Reuters poll. Along with being the most popular politician, polls have shown Clinton beating any Republican candidate in the general election and winning some strong red states like Texas.

Hillary Clinton would beat Florida Senator Marco Rubio by one point, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie by two points and Texas Governor Rick Perry by eight points in Texas, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling.

If Clinton runs for president and wins Texas, she will be the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to win the Lone Star State.

The country came very close to having its first woman president in 2008. But in 2016, the country will go on to elect its first woman president—Hillary Clinton.