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The Woman Who Won Hillary's Seat
Jim McKnight / AP Photo
The New York Times reports that as Caroline Kennedy withdraws from the New York Senate sweepstakes, Gov. David Paterson is "leaning toward selecting" Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand. Why the upstate congresswoman might just be the best choice not named Kennedy.
As New York Gov. David Paterson prepares to pick to the successor to Hillary Clinton in the Senate, Democratic sources say a top candidate is a relative neophyte, Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand. Who is Gillibrand and why is she being mentioned as a Senate contender alongside heavyweights like Andrew Cuomo?
"My personal feeling is that [Gillibrand] has the inside track for several reasons," said Doug Muzzio, a professor of public policy at Baruch College. "She is a woman, she is smart, she's an up and comer, and, probably most importantly, she's not from New York City or the metropolitan area but a true upstater."
You might call Gillibrand a bizarro version of Sarah Palin: she proudly touts her 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association.
Indeed, geography is considered central to Gillibrand's appeal. The 20th District of New York borders Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. New York City and its surrounding areas currently hold a monopoly on every statewide office from governor down. Appointing an upstater could help boost both Gov. Paterson's re-election chances and give the Democrats a wider base as they face the prospect of defending the seat in a special election in 2010, as well as again in 2012. Moreover, as a woman and a Catholic, Gillibrand could help solidify two key Democratic constituencies.
Politically, Gillibrand, who is 41, is a conservative Democrat and a member of the Blue Dog caucus, which might make her more palatable to some of the more right-leaning areas outside the city. You might call her a bizarro version of Sarah Palin: she proudly touts her 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association, and has two young children, aged 4 years old and six months old.
Although Caroline Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have all been discussed as possibles, Andrew Cuomo, New York’s attorney general, stands as her primary competition for the seat. Cuomo has strong statewide name recognition and, as a potential gubernatorial rival for David Paterson in 2010, he could appeal to the governor’s instincts for political self-preservation. However, Democratic observers say that it’s unclear Cuomo would want the job—he has become a star as attorney general. Moreover, his outsized reputation could clash with that of the state’s other U.S. senator, Chuck Schumer, who is regarded as one of the most powerful legislators in the country. Gillibrand, an attorney, was a former special counsel to Cuomo when Cuomo was Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
The bigger problem for Gillibrand may be Rudy Giuliani. According to Democratic consultant Joseph Mercurio, Gillibrand's status as a relative unknown could threaten her in a 2012 race against, say, a former high-profile mayor who is looking for his next job.
“Giuliani might not be strong now against an incumbent governor [if were to challenge Paterson], but against somebody who's never run statewide, who is not an incumbent...he could really cut into the Democratic vote in New York City if he ran,” Mercurio said. “That's the danger.”
However, Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf suggested that Gillibrand might play especially well against a big name Republican opponent.
“I think New Yorkers love the lion versus the lamb or David versus Goliath scenario,” he said. “They're kind of enchanted by it. So it might in fact work.”
Gillibrand was a member of the class of 2006 that swept the Democratic Party to the majority in Congress. It would have been easy to regard her defeat of the 20th district’s incumbent Republican, John Sweeney, as a fluke. Sweeney was in the process of a political implosion in which he turned up—acting strangely—at a college frat party. Days before the election, The Albany Times-Union published police reports that his wife had called 911 on him during an argument (they have since gotten divorced).
But Gillibrand faced a seemingly far tougher race this year against an experienced and well-funded candidate, Sandy Treadwell, who had previously served as New York Secretary of State and as chairman of the state Republican Party. In one of the most expensive congressional races in the country, Gillibrand won in a landslide, taking 62 percent of the vote to Treadwell's 38 percent.
Now with her skills as a campaigner no longer in doubt, her fundraising strong, and her political stock higher than ever, Gillibrand may be on her way to the United States Senate.
Benjamin Sarlin covered New York City politics for The New York Sun and has worked for talkingpointsmemo.com. He is a graduate of Vassar College.
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A fascinating bit of conjecture that seems more to be a publicity stunt for the congresswoman than any real insight.
Let's see Andrew Cuomo, son of a former governor, or someone nobody has heard of. Hmmmm, gee whatta hard decision.
And a 100% rating from the NRA. This is all Patterson would need to ensure he never gets elected for anything in NY ever again.
Benjamin: Stop re-writing Kirsten's promo pieces!
Paterson should appoint Nita Lowey to Hillary's vacated seat.
Yes, bobbiewick, Nita's the one.
She's also from upstate, but not as far (Westchester, Rockland, which includes Hillary's town, Chappaqua) and she has a 100% rating from the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy which focuses on middle-class issues.
Mr. Sarlin, please don't waste everyone's time by writing articles about "conservative Democratic" politicians without letting us know if "conservative" means they are anti-choice. Kirsten Gillibrand is pro-choice, but I had to go research it to find out. It should have been in your article.
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2926/context/archive
Another thing that's missing from this story is the fact that Gillibrand is Ivy-League educated (not to mention that she attended the World's Best Preparatory School) and has two degrees. This stuff seems to matter to people who have been leaving comments elsewhere about Caroline Kennedy. Gillibrand is also far better looking than CK, for whatever that is worth. Comparing her in any way with Sarah Palin, as this writer has done, is a misleading slur.
Not a bad idea, but again, what happened to Carolyn Maloney? She must not want it...
Machine guns, Bazooka's, armor piercing Ammo & you think NY CIty would vote for her... I would rather see Rudy then anyone that stood up for the NRA 100%. Is she pro or anti choice ? Is she pro humanity or anti humanity. If she is truly a so called "Blue Dog" then she would fail the rest of the above tests & the last thing we need is to take an absolute dem seat & hand it over to another Sarah Palin... I hope yo are dead wrong about her getting the job....
Martyz42:
Disagree with her stance on guns, fine. I do too. But to compare her to Sarah Palin is absurd. Rep. Gillibrand graduated from Dartmouth with a B.A. in Asian Studies (magna cum laude), a J.D. from UCLA AND to top it off is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Sarah Palin can barely speak hokey English. Know what you're talking about before making such outrageous assertions.
Blue Dog Democrat aka. A Republican living in New York ...
What a terrible article. No insight into the issue at all. Patterson wont pick Gillibrand because she come from a traditionally republican district that will then be taken back by the GOP. How can you not mention this! Also, she has no ability to raise money and NYC wont like her opinions on social welfare and clearly guns. The choice is down to Coumo or Maloney. Another fiction of this article is that Giulliani who no one knows even wants to run would win a primary against King the already declared and very popular NYS establishment Republican.
But can we not agree that Republicans are terrible? Ok that was my last one.
"...a bizarro version of Sarah Palin." How can someone be a bizarro version of a bizarro?
Far better looking than CK, bobbiewick? Yes, that was such an important detail that went missing from the article. DB should hire you immediately for your astute political commentary and your keen eye.
she will be a wonderful senator and a winning canditate in 2010. After that, who knows.
She IS Sarah Palin, talk about a naked political ploy on the part of Paterson.....Cuomo will win going away in 2010.
This is a pretty interesting choice. Gillibrand happens to be my local Congresswoman, now to become my local Senator. I have a pile of papers for her once she takes office. Something about a local Government Real Property Office here in the 'upstate' New York that wrote phony deeds to themselves. This is a VERY common problem for upstaters. Believe it or not, bored County Clerks are stealing land, and from 'downstaters' no less. They even use the Local Legislature to sign off on their thefts. It is a new twist to Transparency in Government, wherein they simply steal the land right in front of your face and then declare it legal by way of the Local Legislature. A very, very, very common problem here in the 'upstate'. It is also the leading cause of POVERTY in the Region. If no one can be trusted, then why do business with them at all?
Oh, the Freudian Slip is in as well. This year's Winter Carnival is sporting the theme "Pirates of the Adirondacks". What a lovely balance to the "I Love NY" Theme that we NY'ers have been spending Billions on for the last several decades. I think this is called 'biting the hand that feeds you'. How ... original?
HRC resigned a couple of days ago. Patterson promptly appointed someone to sit in the seat until the next election. All those who did not get appointed are upset; be upset and if you feel strongly run against her in 2010.
You city folks should realize that you are not the center of the world. I know that is hard for you, but it is true. One last thing: NRA members and supporters do not all come with horns and a tail.
Thank you.
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