Kirsten Gillibrand | The New York Observer

Ford Also Anti-Schumer

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:14:41 -0500

If he runs, Harold Ford Jr.'s will be challenging Kirsten Gillibrand, but in explaining his rational for running, Ford sometimes talks about his problems with both senators from New York.

During an interview with Fred Dicker in Albany this morning, Ford was asked what Gillibrand has done to warrant being replaced.

"I believe both senators should do a better job of putting New York State and New York City first," said...

Gillibrand's Vox (Un)Populi

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:23:16 -0500

In the 12 months since Governor David Paterson made Kirsten Gillibrand a senator, her poll numbers have done something rather remarkable: that is, nothing.

There are several explanations for why Ms. Gillibrand’s statewide approval ratings have spent a year mired in the mid-20s, despite her superior title and elevated profile: Her appointment process was publicly bungled; her stance on issues like guns and gay rights evolved in disarmingly short order; and, since she’s...

Paterson: Court Fight is Against 'Insolvency'

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:59:33 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson this morning vowed he will fight in court "to keep New York State solvent" against education groups that are suing him to prevent delays in aid payments.

"I will not be intimidated in this process. I absolutely will not shirk my responsibility. I will not let those special interests ruin the state's credit and the state's financial position based on what they see as some sacred position that they have," Paterson...

Schumer Asks Gillibrand's Supporters to Give Her Cash

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:39:18 -0500

ALBANY—A reader forwarded this email from Senator Chuck Schumer, who has written an appeal to Kirsten Gillibrand's donor list.

"I've been involved in politics for a long time now, and I've learned to recognize when someone has what it takes to make a real difference," writes Schumer. "There's no doubt in my mind that Kirsten Gillibrand has what it takes."

Schumer has been Gillibrand's most consistent protector, but this is the first time he...

Polls: Gillibrand Loses to Thompson, Giuliani

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:18:09 -0500

ALBANY—Two polls released today attempt to parse Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's political standing, and offer somewhat different findings with the same basic message: she's not that strong.

The first question pollsters examined was whether the senator could survive a primary—most all of the Democrats who had pondered running against her, including Jon Cooper, have since dropped from the race—against a downstate challenger, of whom the latest favorite is Bill Thompson.

A poll by the Siena...

Scott Stringer Admits to Considering 'Other Options'

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:06:38 -0500

ALBANY—Scott Stringer confirmed he is looking toward 2013, but only in a general sense.

"I'm actually doing what I've always done," Stringer told me by phone. "The campaign finance system is very important to candidates who start thinking about their finances early in the cycle. We're just interviewing people to assembly a financial team as I have every four years, as I did when I ran for borough president and when I run for...

Finally, Tonko for Gillibrand

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:59:04 -0500

ALBANY—Representative Paul Tonko has endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand's election bid next year.

A formal announcement is expected today from the Gillibrand campaign, but Tonko publicly declared his support for Gillibrand at a fund-raiser this weekend in Latham, according to several attendees and confirmed by Dan McCoy, chairman of the Albany County Democratic Committee.

"He introduced her and said he would be doing everything he could to help her election," McCoy told me by phone. The...

Nadler Endorses Gillibrand

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:07:41 -0500

ALBANY—Representative Jerry Nadler, the "progressive champion" whose district spans the West Side and Brooklyn, endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand's election bid.

"From protecting a woman's right to choose and standing up for issues of pressing concern to the LGBT community, to fighting for a robust public health insurance option and protecting our environment by working to reduce harmful emissions, Kirsten Gillibrand has been a great partner on many progressive causes," Nadler said in a statement put...

Skelos 'Interested' That Giuliani Was Silent on Senate

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:27:49 -0500

ALBANY—Is this a shift toward Senator Giuliani?

Ed Cox, the Republican State Committee chairman, has suggested as much. He won the chairmanship over Henry Wojtaszek, who was backed by Giuliani and his surrogates Jake Menges and Tony Carbonetti. (Menges told Liz Benjamin that a Times report that Giuliani will not seek the governorship is "premature.") The door was left open to Giuliani as a senatorial candidate.

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, a Cox...

Poll: Paterson Job Approval Increases to 21

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0500

ALBANY—After a concerted political blitz including a television ad campaign, a new poll finds David Paterson's approval and favorability ratings inched up this month, but he now trails Andrew Cuomo in a gubernatorial primary by nearly 60 points.

The Siena Poll found that 75 percent of registered Democrats surveyed would prefer Cuomo to Paterson, who garnered the support of just 16 percent. Among African-Americans, Paterson now trails Cuomo by a 2:1 margin. Paterson is...

Biden For Owens, Again

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:06 -0400

ALBANY—The last minute push for Democratic Congressional candidate Bill Owens will include a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden will appear at a rally in Watertown at the Northside Improvement League. This is the second visit to the area by Biden, who during a trip to Syracuse held a fundraiser for Owens. A Democratic source familiar with campaign strategy said that a DCCC officials were also mulling a visit from Bill Clinton or...

All-In for Owens?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:58:34 -0400

ALBANY—It's nearing the end of the race to replace John McHugh in Congress. A leading Democrat just told the party is "not going to leave anything on the table" to help Bill Owens.

My mind is returning to the special election in the 20th District this spring, where the final poll showed long-shot Scott Murphy slightly ahead and the DCCC went "all in." In that race, Democrats unleashed a radio ad featuring Vice President...

A Red-District Democrat Rejects the Gillibrand Model

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:57:17 -0400

Call it the Grayson Test.

Conventional Washington thinking dictates that Representative Alan Grayson, the previously unknown Florida freshman who made himself a celebrity last week with his inflammatory and unapologetic condemnation of the G.O.P.’s health care posturing, will be a dead man come November 2010.

Mr. Grayson, you see, represents what is essentially a Republican district—Florida’s 8th, which twice voted (handily) for George W. Bush and which sent...

Schumer and Gillibrand Endorse Thompson, But Don't Criticize Bloomberg

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:50:24 -0400

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand endorsed Bill Thompson for mayor at Union Square this afternoon, praising him for everything from his stewardship of the city pension to his long career in public service to his everyman quality.

Schumer praised Thompson for fighting for residents “in every borough of New York City, not just Manhattan.” Gillibrand said Thompson “fundamentally understands the struggles that middle class families are facing today.”

But Schumer and Gillibrand refused to say anything...

Schumer and Gillibrand Endorsing Thompson

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:31:59 -0400

Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand will endorse fellow Bill Thompson for mayor at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Union Square, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.

The endorsements are scheduled one day after a “unity rally” on the City Hall steps, where Thompson was endorsed by a number of Democrats, including the Democratic candidates for city comptroller and public advocate, John Liu and Bill de Blasio. Some Democrats were notably absent from the rally,...