NY Senate: Blue Dog Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Clinton
So says local WB news affiliate WPIX-11.
PIX11 News has learned Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand is the choice of Governor David Paterson to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Two Congressional sources tell PIX News that the Governor will make his announcement in Albany at noon tomorrow. He has invited members of the state’s Democratic Congressional delegation to join him.
Ugh, what a disaster. Rep. Gillibrand (D, NY-20) is pretty much the most conservative Democrat in the state’s delegation (with the possible exception of the newly-elected Mike McMahon in NY-13, Staten Island). Here’s what the Village Voice has to say about the matter:
Gillibrand has described her own voting record as “one of the most conservative in the state.” She opposes any path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, supports renewing the Bush tax cuts for individuals earning up to $1 million annually, and voted for the Bush-backed FISA bill that permits wiretapping of international calls. She was one of four Democratic freshmen in the country, and the only Democrat in the New York delegation, to vote for the Bush administration’s bill to extend funding for the Iraq war shortly after she entered congress in 2007.
Yeccch. She also voted against the bailout bill, which is not a very smart move in a state that’s home to Wall Street. Say what you will about the bailout, but that is going to cost her dearly on Long Island (where the two most populous “swing” counties in the state are).
I hope Gov. Paterson chooses Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) instead, a much more progressive candidate who is far more in line with Secretary Clinton’s values.
Update: The other progressive Carolyn M. in the state delegation, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, already pre-emptively threatened a primary challenge in 2010. That is what things are like in a state not burdened by The Delaware Way.
Tags: Senate
Ugh.
I just googled “Tom Carper and Kristen Gillibrand” because it sounds like they would be buddies, and found this funny description of Carper at Down With Tyranny
So this sounds as though Paterson is going with the “Upstate Strategy”, trying to get someone from up there elevated.
Gillabrand rocks! She’s tough, she’s smart, and she ran and won against an incumbent which is more than you can say for all the other senate hopefuls. Great choice!
Before you go moaning about Gillibrand, you might want to keep in mind that she defeated a truly awful Republican, John Sweeney, to win the seat for the Democrats. How bad was Sweeney? Pretty wretched, as I noted back in 2006:
http://www.tommywonk.com/2006/10/irrationality-and-republican-congress.html
I like Carolyn Maloney myself, but I also have some appreciation for those who have built up a strong majority in Congress by winning districts that Dems used to write off.
Listen, I don’t hate Kirsten Gillibrand – she’s great for NY-20. But not for Senate – that is a seat that could be held by a much more progressive candidate.
We can only hope that Gillibrand will tack left now that she will be representing a state more liberal as a whole than her old district. The senator from New York should NOT be a Blue Dog!
As a former resident of upstate NY it will be nice to have some representation from the rest of the state for a change.
Remember NY will vote Republican statewide. Clinton had to fight hard for the seat, if Patterson does not chose someone who can appeal outside of the city, he could give it over to someone like Rep. King.
UI – he could have appointed Rep. Higgins from the Buffalo area.
Damn it! Why do these Governors keep losing my numbers for all these appointments! Sonofabit**!!!
X,
Higgins is just as blue dog as Gillibrand. If he wanted an upstater, why not Byron Brown, mayor of Buffalo?
David,
Clinton cleaned the floor with the Republican candidates she faced. She is a hard worker, definitely but there aren’t many statewide Republicans to take her on.
Best of both worlds. R’s have a good shot to win the open seat and have a good shot at the Senate seat with Rep. King. Plus the new Senator is a positive departure from her predecessor.
My approval underscores how bad y’all must feel.
Get a life fatty.
Hey now. Fat asswipe movement conservatives need something to be happy about these days.
Damn, that’s harsh. Is it really necessary?
Mike — They’d like me to go away so this site doesn’t get the occasional dose of truth it needs.
And it’s not like Jason’s running triathlons or anything, so…
Mike,
I know that “movement conservative” is a pretty horrible thing to call someone, but he has earned it.
Also – I was actually defending the fat asswipe.
Dang…Jason compliments Castle and he’s calling Dave “fat asswipe.” Someone took happy pills today.
“[Republicans] have a good shot at the Senate seat with Rep. King.”
“They’d like me to go away so this site doesn’t get the occasional dose of truth it needs.”
Which is it? Either you’re truthful or Rep. King has a “good shot” of winning a Senate seat. Both cannot be true.
Bloomberg must be shitting in his pretty pink panties…
A+ rating from NRA!
That’s funny… Butch Dikes calling people fat. HAHAHA Project much??
“Both cannot be true.”
Says you. Bloodied Gillibrand/McCarthy primary winner vs. the blue-collar King, who has a 60+% name ID in New York and positive favorables.
PPP had King inside the margin of error with Caroline Kennedy in a 1/9/09 poll.