Kirsten Gillibrand

Gillbrand: If Harold Ford Were At The State Of The Union, He Would Sit On The Republican Side

Eric Kleefeld | January 27, 2010, 6:14PM

A post by Twitter by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary by former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN), is already using tonight's State of the Union address to take a shot at her rival.

Gillibrand posted this on Twitter: "Looking forward to the #SOTU tonight. If HF were here, he would probably be sitting on the Republican side."

The really funny part about all of this is that when Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate a year ago, the conventional wisdom was that she would face a Democratic primary challenge on the grounds that she allegedly wasn't progressive enough. But since then, one potential liberal challenger after another has bowed out of the race, thanks in part to pressure from the White House and the Democratic establishment. And her new challenger, Ford, is a former chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, who talked up his pro-life, pro-gun and anti-gay marriage credentials when he ran for Senate in Tennessee back in 2006.

Harold Ford

Poll: Harold Ford Gets 10 Percent, Running As Indy In NY-SEN

Eric Kleefeld | January 20, 2010, 6:29PM

Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

A new Rasmussen poll of New York looks at how former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) might do if he ran against appointed Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the general election, as an independent, rather than challenging her in the Dem primary. The answer is that he wouldn't get very far -- but Gillibrand wouldn't walk away with the contest itself, with a potential split in the Democratic vote.

The numbers: Gillibrand 39%, an unnamed generic Republican candidate 34%, and Ford 10%. It doesn't appear that Rasmussen polled a two-way general election between Gillibrand and Ford, or Gillibrand against a generic Republican. Rasmussen had to use a generic Republican precisely because there is no GOP candidate right now, and the party's recruiting efforts have kept coming up short. (We'll see whether the Republican victory in Massachusetts gets anybody interested in this race.)

From the pollster's analysis: "Unlike in many other states, the national health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats is less of a factor in Republicans' favor in New York. Forty-eight percent (48%) of Empire State voters favor the plan, while 49% oppose it. Those numbers include 26% who Strongly Favor it and 38% who Strongly Oppose, again a narrower gap than is found in most states and nationally."

Kirsten Gillibrand

Poll: Gillibrand Starts Potential Primary Way Ahead Of Ford

Eric Kleefeld | January 20, 2010, 2:36PM

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

A new Rasmussen poll of the New York Democratic primary gives appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand a big lead against her apparent likely challenger, former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford.

The numbers: Gillibrand 48%, Ford 23%.

Nevertheless, the pollster's analysis points that out that the electorate's opinion is not fixed. Gillibrand has a 59% favorable rating, with 27% unfavorable, but with only 8% very favorable and 13% very unfavorable. Ford's numbers show even less of a solid opinion than there is for Gillibrand, with only 36% favorable and 30% unfavorable, including 11% very favorable and 9% very unfavorable.

NY-SEN

Poll: Gillibrand Beats Ford, But Ford's Got A Chance To Catch Her

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 15, 2010, 11:53AM

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

A new Marist poll on the New York Senate race has good news for both Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and the man actively considering challenging her for the Democratic nomination this year, former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford, Jr.

Among Democratic voters surveyed, Gillibrand leads Ford in a hypothetical matchup 43-24. It's a sizable lead for the less-than-popular Gillibrand, who Marist found has just a 31% approval rating among Democrats in New York. A full third of surveyed Democrats are undecided in the race, however, leaving Ford a lot of room to move up should he decide to run for the nomination.

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Harold Ford

Nadler: Go Home, Harold Ford!

Brian Beutler | January 14, 2010, 1:39PM

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a long serving member of the New York Congressional delegation wants Harold Ford, Jr., who's been contemplating a primary challenge against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), to take a hike.

"I would not encourage him to run in New York," Nadler told me. "As far as I'm concerned he has no connection to New York. And more importantly he's far too conservative--too wrong on too many major issues--to be the Democratic nominee."

Nadler is one of a number of Democrats who have lambasted Ford for meddling in New York politics.

"If he thinks that its an appealing argument to position yourself as being somebody who will stand up to Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer, well I don't think we need another Joe Lieberman," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY). "Maybe when his helicopter lands in Queens next I can ask him."

Harold Ford

Harold Ford: 'I Am A New Yorker. I Am A New Yorker. I Am..." (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | January 11, 2010, 6:32PM

Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

Appearing on Hardball tonight, former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) made a clear declaration for Chris Matthews, as Ford gears up to challenge appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the New York Democratic primary.

Ford, who lost a Senate campaign in his native Tennessee in 2006, said that he lives in New York, he and his wife plan to start a family there, and he's paid taxes there. "And once you pay taxes there, you feel like a New Yorker," Ford quipped.

Matthews asked Ford to declare that he is a New Yorker. Ford replied: "I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker. I am a New Yorker." It was certainly entertaining -- and if this New York thing doesn't work out, he'll have no chance of ever running for office in Tennessee again.

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Harold Ford

Harold Ford Now Supports Gay Marriage

Eric Kleefeld | January 11, 2010, 3:07PM

Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

Former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN), who is gearing up to challenge appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the New York Democratic primary, has announced that he now supports gay marriage.

Appearing on the Today show, Ford pointed out that he'd previously supported civil unions. "My support for fairness and equality existed long before I moved to New York," Ford said. This is certainly a change for Ford. Back when he was in Congress, he voted in favor of amending the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage nationwide.

Matt Lauer asked Ford if this was a major change for him. "Maybe in the language," said Ford. "But I'm a believer that benefits should flow to same sex partners and if indeed the fiction of the language, the title, should be changed, much like Chuck Schumer who changed his mind on it and Bill Clinton's evolved, I'm of the opinion now that nothing is wrong with that."

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Harold Ford

Ford And Gillibrand Jousting Begins

Eric Kleefeld | January 8, 2010, 6:35PM

Former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D)

So what exactly is going on with former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN)? Ford ran unsuccessfully for Senator from Tennessee in 2006, and is now getting ready to challenge appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, in the Democratic primary in Ford's new home state of New York. The attacks between the two camps have already begun.

As Ben Smith reports, Ford has started staffing up for a run, signing up campaign aides that worked for New York's Republican-turned-independent Mayor Mike Bloomberg. "Harold is not going to be bullied or intimidated. It's good for New York to have a dialogue. It's good to have credible candidates exploring this race. So what are they so afraid of?" said a statement from Ford spokesman Davidson Goldin. "Let's be clear: New York needs a senator who will fight for jobs fight to improve our economy, fight for small business and have the independence to stand up and do what's right for our state, regardless of what the party bosses in Albany or Washington want."

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