DOMA

Obama Officially Backs Measure To Repeal DOMA

Susan Crabtree | July 19, 2011, 3:03PM

President Barack Obama (D)

President Obama is officially backing legislation that would repeal the 1996 Defense Of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage even for couples married under state law.

The President has "long called for a legislative appeal for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on families," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at Tuesday's briefing.

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9/11

Schumer, Gillibrand Predict 9/11 Responders Bill Will Pass (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 20, 2010, 10:54AM

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

New York's two Democratic Senators are predicting that the bill to aid 9/11 first responders will be able to pass the Senate -- after having previously been blocked by Senate Republicans -- in the wake of recent changes such as lowering the price tag from $7.4 billion to $6.2 billion.

Appearing this morning on Good Morning America, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told George Stephanopoulos: "We now have the votes, we've made some modifications that some of our Republican colleagues requested and if no one does undue delay, just stands up and delays and delays and delays, we will get this done."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Lieberman And Collins On DADT Repeal: This Is A Civil Rights Bill

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 18, 2010, 5:28PM

Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who helped shepherd through today's Senate repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, told reporters after the final vote this afternoon that ending the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers is a big step for LGBT rights.

"To me, it is a step forward to a larger societal acceptance [of gay rights,]" Lieberman said. "This is a civil rights piece of legislation in my opinion."

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No Labels

Political Insiders Launch 'No Labels' To Support Moderation In Washington

Jillian Rayfield | December 13, 2010, 1:34PM

A group of high-profile Democrats, Republicans, and Independents today launched No Labels, a non-profit that calls itself the "Woodstock of Democracy," touts non-partisanship, and features a bipartisan bison as its official logo.

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9/11

Democrats Aghast Over GOP Blocking 9/11 Responders Bill

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 3:26PM

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY)

The Senate Republicans did what they said they'd do today -- they blocked a bill aimed at providing over $7 billion in federal money for 9/11 responders and their families because it came before a vote on taxes. But despite the almost scripted outcome, Democratic Senators behind the bill seemed shocked at the outcome.

"We are gravely disappointed," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a key sponsor of the bill, told reporters following the failed cloture vote. "When every Senator on the Republican side signed a letter saying no business can be done until they had a vote a vote on a tax issue, I find [it] to be morally reprehensible."

Sen. Chris Coons, a Democratic Senator from Delaware for all of three weeks, said the bill was the first one he chose to co-sponsor. The fact that the GOP stopped it in its tracks (for now, at least) was a surprise, he said.

"If patriotism means anything, if respect for the victims of 9/11 means anything, it should mean this," he said. "This Senate should be able to come together across this shocking partisan divide and support a bill such as this."

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Senate '10

Paladino Walks Out On Interview After Questions About Gillibrand Comments (VIDEO)

Megan Carpentier | October 31, 2010, 8:25PM

Carl Paladino

New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino (R) walked out on a local television interview in Plattsburgh, New York on Friday evening after the anchor asked him whether his comments about Sen. Kirsten Gillbrand (D) were sexist. Paladino had called New York's junior Senator "[Schumer's] little girl" on Thursday, in reference to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D).

When asked if he regretted the comments or thought they were sexist, Paladino said, "No, I don't. I was referring to the fact that Miss Gillbrand seems to vote exactly as Mr. Schumer directs her to. She doesn't show any mind of her own in voting. And that's why I referred to her that way."

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Joe DioGuardi

Paladino Lite: Meet The Other Tea Party-Backed Candidate In New York

Jillian Rayfield | October 6, 2010, 8:47AM

Fmr. Rep. Joe DioGuardi (R-NY)

Say what you want about New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino, but he sure does adhere masterfully to that old adage, "all publicity is good publicity."

The same cannot be said for Joe DioGuardi, the Republican running for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's seat, who has also enjoyed the support of the Tea Party movement, but has done so without nearly the same anger and (dare we say) charisma as Paladino.

Here's a look at that other New York Republican running for office this year...

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NY-SEN

Marist Poll: Gillibrand Leading By 12 Points In NY-SEN

Jillian Rayfield | September 28, 2010, 12:08PM

Joe Dioguardi (R) and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY)

A new Marist poll of likely voters shows Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand leading Republican Joe DioGuardi 54%-42% in the New York senate race.

The previous Marist poll -- from all the way back in early May -- gave Gillibrand a 50%-30% lead.

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NY-SEN

Polls: Gillibrand The Stoppable?

Evan McMorris-Santoro | September 23, 2010, 11:41AM

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY)

Two new public polls of the New York special election for Senate suggest that the unstoppable political force that is Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) may have finally hit a wall in Republican nominee Joe DioGuardi.

A third respected public poll shows that Gillibrand remains the T-1000 of New York politics. That's probably a huge relief for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was banking on holding this seat, and was last seen calling Gillibrand the "hottest member" of the world's greatest deliberative body.

The numbers: A Quinnipiac poll from Sept. 20 showed Gillibrand ahead by just six, leading DioGuardi 48-42. That was quickly followed up by today's shocking SurveyUSA poll, which showed Gillibrand leading by just one. The last Quinnipiac poll of the race, from late August, showed Gillibrand up 43-28. This is the first SurveyUSA poll of the contest.

If these nail-biting numbers reflect the true state of the race to fill the seat vacated by Hillary Clinton at the beginning of last year, Democrats should start panicking. No one expects Gillibrand to lose and if she did it would be a seriously epic blow to both egos and the "Democrats have secured their Senate majority" narrative that followed the Delaware Republican primary for Senate you may have heard a little about.

Before Democrats could really get their freak-out on, however, Siena College swooped in to rescue Gillibrand -- for now anyway. The new poll from the college shows Gillibrand leading 57-31. The previous Siena poll, from mid-August, showed Gillibrand up 54-29.

There's just one problem.

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Joe DioGuardi

Rasmussen Poll: Gillibrand Leading By 10 Points In NY-SEN

Jillian Rayfield | September 21, 2010, 12:24PM

Joe Dioguardi (R) and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY)

A new Rasmussen poll shows Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) leading her Republican opponent, Joe DioGuardi 49%-39%.

The poll, conducted September 16, shows that DioGuardi has started closing the gap since the last Rasmussen poll was taken on September 1, when he was trailing 51%-31%.

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Harry Reid

Reid At Fundraiser: Gillibrand Is 'Hottest Member' Of Senate

Eric Kleefeld | September 21, 2010, 11:45AM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) strongly stated his support of Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) at a fundraiser for Reid in New York last night -- referring to her as "the hottest member" of that august body.

As CNN reports, Gillibrand was present at the event, and is said to have blushed at the comment.

It should be noted that Gillibrand was in fact recently declared number three on The Hill's Top 50 Most Beautiful People list -- and neither of the top two are members of the Senate. So logically speaking, this would make her the hottest member of the Senate according to a major Washington publication.

Gillibrand spokesman Matt Cantor gave CNN a statement. "The Leader was saying nice things about the work Senator Gillibrand and Senator Reid have done together over the last year and half, and made a joke referencing to the Hill article from earlier this year," said Cantor. "Senator Gillibrand has the utmost respect for Senator Reid and looks forward to continue working together to repeal [Don't Ask Don't Tell], pass 9/11 health, and create good-paying jobs across the country."

2010 elections

Forget January: Several New Senators May Be Seated Shortly After November Election

Eric Kleefeld | September 14, 2010, 8:43AM

Mark Kirk

This year's Senate elections are widely expected to produce substantial Republican gains in the Senate, producing a much less Democratic chamber come January. But in fact, some races present the possibility of the GOP making gains almost immediately, with the winners (of whatever party) sworn in soon after the election.

The reason is simple: These are special elections, with current incumbent members who were appointed to fill vacancies. (Only one sitting member in these seats, Dem Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, is seeking election -- the others are open seats). Just as the upset win of Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) in this past January's special election enabled the GOP to immediately improve from 40 seats to 41 -- and change the entire dynamic of the Senate -- any additional GOP members from a few key states could immediately strengthen the GOP for the lame duck session between the election and January.

Indeed, at least two candidates, Republican Mark Kirk of Illinois and Republican Christine O'Donnell of Delaware, have expressly campaigned on the prospect of taking office immediately. While it remains unclear just how much Democrats would be able to do in a lame-duck session that they couldn't do now -- after all, Republicans would be able to filibuster any major policy changes until January already, regardless of how many new Republican senators are seated right after the election -- it nevertheless has lingered as a political issue.

So let's take a look at these races.

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Cordoba House

The Dems Who Have Spoken For Cordoba House

Eric Kleefeld | August 24, 2010, 8:45AM

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

With all the attention we've given to politicians who have attacked the Muslim community center set to be built near Ground Zero in New York, let's take a different look at the story: A list of the Democratic politicians who have stood up in support of it.

Opposition to the project has been brewing for weeks, and the issue came to a head a week and a half ago, when President Obama voiced his support for the right of organizers to build it.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Hundreds Protest Islamic Center In Downtown Manhattan]

Since, some Dems have come out and said that the project should be moved -- most notably Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who nevertheless affirmed the right of Muslims to build it. So let's look at the other side of the equation: Dems who have spoken out on the project's behalf, both before and after Obama's remarks.

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Charlie Rangel

Gillibrand And Cuomo Take Heat For Attending Rangel B-Day Party (VIDEOS)

Jillian Rayfield | August 13, 2010, 11:57AM

NY Atty. Gen. Andrew Cuomo (D) and NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

New York Democrats are done celebrating Charlie Rangel's 80th birthday party, but apparently the hangover is going to last a little bit longer...

In new web videos, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo are hit by their Republican opponents for their ties to the Harlem Congressman, who is under investigation for ethics violations.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Not A Care In The World? Charlie Rangel's Birthday Celebration]

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Democrats

Where Do NY Dems Stand On The 'Ground Zero Mosque'?

Jillian Rayfield | August 5, 2010, 11:51AM

Clock wise from top left: NY Democratic Senators Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, NY Democratic Reps. Anthony Weiner and Carolyn Maloney.

A lot of attention has been paid to what Republicans are saying about plans to build a Muslim community center near Ground Zero in New York City, but many New York Democrats have been relatively silent on the issue.

Here's a round-up of what some prominent New York Democrats are saying -- or not saying -- about the Cordoba House plans, which won a key legislative approval earlier this week.

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Gail Goode

Gillibrand Finally Gets A Primary Challenger In New York Senate Race

Jillian Rayfield | July 15, 2010, 1:31PM

NY Senate candidate Gail Goode (D) and NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

For months, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been knocking down potential primary challengers left and right before they even dare to get into the race for her New York Senate seat.

But now Gail Goode, a lawyer and deputy borough chief in New York City's Tort Unit, is officially in the race, and wants to know: "Who is the real Kirsten Gillibrand and what does she really believe?"

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Kirsten Gillibrand

Republican Senators Chase World Cup, Praise America's Immigrant History

Megan Carpentier | July 2, 2010, 2:30PM

USA and Slovenia play in the World Cup, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) wants to bring the tournament to the States.

After the failure of Team USA to beat Ghana and advance in the World Cup tournament, most thought that Americans would wait until 2014 until they started paying attention to soccer again. But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and a number of Republican colleagues aren't wiling to let soccer fade into obscurity!

She and a few colleagues from both sides of the aisle sent a letter to FIFA President Sepp Blatter today to try to convince him to allow America to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Part of their sales pitch is America's vast immigrant population, and their dedication to watching their home country teams battle it out on U.S. soil.

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NY-SEN

NY-SEN Candidate Holds Fund-Raiser With Paul Ryan

Rachel Slajda | April 21, 2010, 10:56AM

NY-SEN candidate David Malpass, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

David Malpass, one of three Republicans running for Senate from New York, held a fund-raiser yesterday morning with GOP budget guru Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

The "intimate" fund-raiser, held in the office of financier Steven Klinsky in midtown New York, attracted about two dozen people, said a spokeswoman for Malpass. The spokeswoman, Jessica Proud, couldn't say how much they raised, but an invitation published by the Times Union says the minimum donation was $1,500. The max was $4,800.

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NY-SEN

NY-SEN: Republican And Former Bear Stearns Exec Enters The Ring

Rachel Slajda | April 14, 2010, 6:29PM

NY-SEN Candidate David Malpass

As the names of those not running against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) continue to pile up, one Republican and former Bear Stearns executive announced today that he will enter the race.

David Malpass was the chief economist at Bear Stearns from 2001 until its collapse 2008. He also served during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, in the Treasury and State departments and also as a congressional staffer.

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NY-SEN

Pataki Won't Run For Senate, Will Run HCR Repeal Group Instead

Rachel Slajda | April 14, 2010, 10:23AM

Former NY Gov. George Pataki (R)

Former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) says he won't challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) for her Senate seat this fall.

It's yet another potential challenger who has decided not to run against Gillibrand, despite her unimpressive poll numbers. Polls showed her losing to several potential Republican candidates, including Pataki.

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NY-SEN

She Is Kirsten, Hear Her Roar: Gillibrand The Unstoppable

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 26, 2010, 1:10PM

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Who is the most powerful woman in American politics? Is it Nancy Pelosi, who just pushed landmark health care reform through a reticent Congress? Is it Michelle Obama, whose stratospheric approval ratings make her the envy of everyone in the political universe?

No, it's neither. The most powerful woman of all, or so it seems, is the junior senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand (D). Think about it: Who else could be associated with David Paterson and not be politically radioactive? Who else could scare off challenger after challenger from both sides without spending a dime?

Meet Kirsten Gillibrand, who apparently can't be stopped by man nor woman nor even Rudy Giuliani.

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Dan Senor

Report: Senor To Announce Senate Run This Week

Zachary Roth | March 22, 2010, 10:58AM

Dan Senor, former chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority

It looks like it's really happening...

Dan Senor, the Bush administration's top spokesman in Iraq, will announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate from New York "before the week is out," reports the Daily News, based on "multiple sources familiar with his plans."

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NY-SEN

Betsy McCaughey: 'I Am Definitely Not A Candidate' Against Kirsten Gillibrand

Eric Kleefeld | March 19, 2010, 2:35PM

Betsy McCaughey, Former Lt. Gov. (R-NY)

Could Betsy McCaughey, the former New York lieutenant governor and arch-enemy of liberal health care reformers, be a potential candidate for governor or Senate?

The New York Daily News reports that a reader received polling phone call that tested various candidates in the races against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as for the open gubernatorial race. Among the names was McCaughey, who served one term as a Republican lieutenant governor in 1990s, then switched to the Democrats after she was dropped from the GOP ticket for the 1998 election. (She failed to win the Dem nomination for governor, and then won 1.65% of the vote as the nominee of the Liberal Party.)

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NY-SEN

Senor Appears At NY Fundraiser With Cantor, Fueling Speculation Of Senate Run

Rachel Slajda | March 15, 2010, 10:01AM

Dan Senor, former chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor was scheduled to be a special guest at a Manhattan fundraiser last night which was also attended by potential Senate candidate Dan Senor.

Senor, who was an advocate of the U.S. occupation of Iraq and is said to be considering a challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), was on the host committee of a fundraiser for Randy Altschuler. (That means he contributed or raised $5,000 to the campaign.) Altschuler is one of several Republicans running for the House seat held by Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY).

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NY-SEN

Poll: Gillibrand Posts Solid Numbers In New York, Paterson Sinking

Eric Kleefeld | February 22, 2010, 10:37AM

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Gov. David Paterson (D-NY)

A new Siena poll of New York has some good news for Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and some bad news for the man who appointed her to the Senate, Gov. David Paterson.

Gillibrand, who has had to build up name recognition in a large state where she was unknown a year ago, has a 34% favorable rating and 28% unfavorable. One possible sign of trouble is that only 30% say they would vote to re-elect her, with 40% preferring someone else. However, this can be partly explained by her very low numbers among Republicans, who are solidly against her by a margin of 55%-23%. The 30% undecided figure is also still very high, and the cross-tabs show higher undecided numbers among such heavily Democratic groups such as African-Americans (38%) and Latinos (41%).

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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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Peter King

Peter King Not Running For Senate...Again

Eric Kleefeld | January 11, 2010, 3:53PM

Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Rep. Peter King (R-NY), who had been courted by Republicans to run for the Senate against appointed Democratic incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, has announced that he will not run.

King had previously announced in August 2009 that he wouldn't run, but a week ago he left the door open again to a possible run. However, King has now withdrawn his name from consideration again, citing the importance of his work on the House Homeland Security Committee.

In his statement, King said: "While the political situation has changed dramatically in the Republicans' favor since September and I believe that Sen. Gillibrand can and will be defeated in 2010, I will not be a candidate for the Senate." While King might say Gillibrand will be defeated, his own withdrawal has the GOP running out of big names for this race, especially since Rudy Giuliani has also decided not to run.

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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Rudy Giuliani

Report: Rudy Giuliani Not Running For Senate Against Gillibrand

Eric Kleefeld | December 22, 2009, 9:16AM

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani is expected to announce today that he will not run for Senate in 2010 against appointed Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a blow for Republican recruitment efforts after Giuliani had consistently led Gillibrand in the polls.

Giuliani will also endorse former Rep. Rick Lazio for governor, after having contemplated that race earlier this year -- an interesting turn of events, considering how Lazio became the 2000 nominee for Senate against Hillary Clinton after Giuliani had dropped out of that race, too.

The polls have shown that Gillibrand remains a largely unknown quantity with the voters, and faces a potential primary challenge from outgoing New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who came closer to victory than anybody had expected in his 2009 race for mayor. But without Rudy Giuliani, the Republicans have lost their biggest name in a state where they don't have much of a bench to speak of anymore.

Chuck Schumer

Schumer To Gillibrand: That Flight Attendant Was A 'Bitch'

Rachel Slajda | December 16, 2009, 10:57AM

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

On a flight from New York to Washington, D.C., this weekend, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took issue with a flight attendant's request to turn off his cell phone, calling her a "bitch" after she walked away.

According to Politico, the attendant asked both Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who was sitting next to him, to turn off their phones so the plane could take off. Schumer resisted, asking if he could finish his call. When told "no," he kept arguing, according to Politico's witness, a House Republican aide.

He eventually hung up. After the attendant walked away, Schumer turned to Gillibrand and called the attendant a "bitch."

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Kirsten Gillibrand

Poll: Gillibrand Trailing Bill Thompson In Dem Primary -- Or Is She?

Eric Kleefeld | December 15, 2009, 12:41PM

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

A new Quinnipiac poll says that appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is vulnerable to a primary challenge from outgoing New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who just came surprisingly close in his unsuccessful campaign for Mayor of New York City.

The numbers for the Democratic primary: Thompson 41%, Gillibrand 28%, with a ±3.7% margin of error. On the other hand, a Siena poll that was also released today shows Gillibrand ahead of Thompson by 32%-23%.

Thompson has likely benefitted from recent publicity from his mayoral campaign, in which he was frequently on New York TV (though not as much as Mike Bloomberg, obviously). By contrast, Gillibrand hasn't been on paid TV at all -- not one ad.

One thing the two polls both agree on, though, is that each Democrat currently trails Rudy Giuliani in a general election match-up. Quinnipiac has Rudy ahead of Gillibrand by 50%-40% and ahead of Thompson by 52%-36%. Siena had Rudy leading Gillibrand by 49%-42%, and leading Thompson by 56%-34%.