Carolyn Maloney Vows To Challenge Gillibrand In 2010 Senate Race

WASHINGTON — New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney has decided to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the state's Democratic primary, setting the stage for a potentially costly and contentious fight that other congressional Democrats have avoided.

The nine-term congresswoman believes New Yorkers need a "strong, experienced and independent leader," according to a statement Wednesday by Paul Blank, director of Trippi & Associates, hired by Maloney to serve as a chief strategist.

Blank said Maloney is putting together a campaign team and will make her announcement in two weeks.

Gillibrand, 42, was appointed by New York Gov. David Paterson to fill the vacancy created by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's appointment as secretary of state. She was appointed after Caroline Kennedy abruptly withdrew from consideration.

Gillibrand then was a little-known congresswoman from upstate New York, first elected to the House in 2006. The appointment caused resentment among others who considered her views on guns and immigration not liberal enough.

Since then, two potential contenders _ Reps. Steve Israel and Carolyn McCarthy _ have opted out.

Maloney, 61, who represents Manhattan's Upper East Side, declined to do so, even after a phone call from Vice President Joe Biden. President Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, has also expressed White House support for Gillibrand.

A Marist Poll released Wednesday showed Maloney and Gillibrand in a statistical tie among registered Democrats.

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In response to Maloney's decision, Gillibrand's campaign issued a statement saying she is "entirely focused on her job representing New Yorkers in the U.S. Senate and is working closely with President Obama to fix the economy, create jobs and reform our broken health care system."

On the Republican side, former New York Gov. George Pataki and Rep. Pete King are possible contenders for the seat.

The story was first reported by the New York Daily News.

_____

On the Net:

Rep. Carolyn Maloney: http://www.carolynmaloney.com/

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: http://kirstengillibrand.com/

Comments

[buckbuck11]

I've got to tell you, I was not pleased when Patterson chose Gillibrand because it pulled her out of a district she took from a Republican. Fortunately, a Dem. also won the special election to replace her. I also had reservations because of her Wall Street ties.

However, she has won me over. She has worked hard to do that and she has actively embraced progressive positions with regard to issues that make many Democrats demure, including labor and gay rights.

I was all prepared to say, "I told you so," but Kirsten Gillibrand's actions and hard work have changed my mind. She has earned my support in the primary.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

let the battle royal begin!

[plaidsportcoat]

Can't they find a strong candidate that supported OBAMA fer gosh sakes????

[buckbuck11]

Even Obama gets the fact that New York politicians (of any significance and potential) would first go with the native "son" candidate. Once Hillary was out, New York Democrats, including Clinton herself, worked tirelessly to get Barrack Obama elected.

In a word, it's time to let it go, PUMAs!

[evjem]

Excellent. Carolyn has an amazing record of fighting for New Yorkers. As a native NY'er I've really come to appreciate her over these many years.

When Hillary's seat was vacated I contacted Patterson encouraging him to give Maloney that seat. Not only did she deserve it, I truly believed she was ready to do right by us the moment she was sworn in.

I'm still angry that Governor's are allowed to appoint Senators like we're some sort of monarchy. And the fact the Patterson decided to choose an unknown blue dog to fill the seat only confirmed that he's really not up to the job of governing our state. While Gillebrand has proven to be a bit better than I expected, I know Maloney will serve us better.
Go Carolyn! You have my vote.

[glorialovelace]

"When Hillary's seat was vacated I contacted Patterson encouraging him to give Maloney that seat."

Maloney paid consultant Bill Lynch to lobby Paterson to give the job to her. Did she pay you as well? http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/04/2009-01-04_rep_carolyn_maloney_makes_upstate_bid_fo.html

"I'm still angry that Governor's are allowed to appoint Senators like we're some sort of monarchy. "

That's only true in some states. Everybody wants the law in New York changed, including Governor Paterson.

"And the fact the Patterson decided to choose an unknown blue dog to fill the seat only confirmed that he's really not up to the job of governing our state."

Paterson said he wanted a woman, and he wanted somebody from Upstate. Gillibrand is widely known to be Hillary Clinton's protegee. I'm sure the Clintons had plenty of input in this decision.

[evjem]

MOST states have that law, not just some. There are only handful of states which call for a special election to fill vacated Senate seats. The governors of the majority of states appoint Senators to fill seats. That is not a democratic process.

No, of course Maloney didn't pay me. Although she wouldn't have needed to. Her record stands for itself. She's been a great Congresswoman for NYS. And all politicians lobby for jobs. So what?
Patterson did not do right by us. He could have but chose not to. The contributing factors in his decision don't change that.

[MNmommy]

Good.

[Kram]

Anyone more liberal than "on-the-take" Gillibrand will do.

[glorialovelace]

Explain -- in detail, please -- how exactly Gillibrand is "on the take". That's a serious accusation, which in the Real World would get you hauled into court for libel.

[disgustedbyitall]

Don't ya just love the Dems? Won't do a damn thing about Lieberman or the Michigan and Florida state parties who made a holy wreck of the convention preparation, but now the White House is trying to tell New Yorkers who their senator should be. Screw Gillibrand. If she doesn't support gun control, she doesn't represent a majority of the state's population. I look forward to the slugfest.

[Matthias Cooke]

So in other-words New York needs more liberal representation as if they haven't been enough for the longest time. Give me a break. So Gillibrand disagrees with most of the party on Guns and Illegal Immigration and democrats want to get rid of her. Coming from a challenger who blatantly said Gillibrand has done nothing since being in Congress as if Rep. Maloney has. This is exactly how the democrats could lose if they oust a young, very intelligent and charismatic leader who's not gonna be a puppet and blank check for the democrats for someone who's very liberal and will always tow the party line. Yeah great job New York Democrats especially in NYC, way to be exactly like the republican party your exclusion of others.

[Badger84]

Voters don't like to play the role of a rubber stamp for someone who is anointed.

[jacobnyc]

It's going to be a tough choice. I like Maloney, but I also like Steve Israel. Who's more liberal?

[Doofus]

New York, New York.
It's a helluva town & state.
This is how it was bound to turn out.

Most of the Demo votes & Demo $$$ in NY are in the City That Never Sleeps,
so they will have a huge say in choosing the eventual candidate. They'll dominate
in the primary. The general election vote, however, is more evenly split between
downstate & upstate (where the Repos lurk, in large numbers). The best chance
the Repos have to get the seat back, is for the Demos to choose a candidate too
closely tied to the Big Apple. Also, the best chance for the Demos is if the Repos
ALSO pick someone too closely associated with NYC, or points east.

[Doofus]

(On the other hand...)

NYT - July 2, 2009 - For an Insider, a Lonely Road to Senate Run

The conversation was not going well. Dennis Mehiel, the powerful Democratic fund-raiser, had Representative Carolyn B. Maloney on the line. And she was obviously unhappy.

Mr. Mehiel was organizing a fund-raiser in his Upper East Side apartment for Kirsten E. Gillibrand, New York’s newly appointed senator, whom Ms. Maloney plans to challenge in the primary next year.

“She said she would consider the fund-raiser a personal affront,” a person with direct knowledge of the conversation said. “She was upset that a friend and supporter of hers would host the event.”

Ms. Maloney finds herself very much alone these days. Defying the wishes of Democratic leaders, she plans to announce a Senate bid in the coming days. And that has left Ms. Maloney, a quintessential New York liberal usually embraced by the party, something of an outcast. ...

Pressure from party leaders, among them President Obama, scared off other would-be challengers to Ms. Gillibrand, including the Manhattan borough president and a Long Island congressman.

But it seems to have only strengthened the resolve of the often irrepressible Ms. Maloney, a 62-year-old North Carolina native who once appeared on the House floor in a burqa to protest the treatment of women by the Taliban. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/politics/02maloney.html

[jeremiahos]

Honestly, I'm tired of centrists.
That's the worst thing the Democratic party ever did, in my opinion.
Going to the center did one thing, going to the right.
And going to the right means going closer to the policies of George Bush.

THEY DO NOT WORK! THEY HAVE NOT WORKED!

We need a louder and more aggressive progressive voice in the United States Senate.
Enough of the Kristen Gillibrand. Enough of the Ben Nelson. Enough of the Evan Bayh.
These people are not Democrats; they are Conservatives.
They are Republican votes.

2010 - the last year (for a while) that Republicans have more seats to defend than Democrats do.
LETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

PUT A PROGRESSIVE VOICE IN THE SENATE!!!
We need more Bernie Sanders, not Kristen Gillibrands'.

Otherwise, throw it all away.

[glorialovelace]

Gillibrand's ADA rating is better than Maloney's. Her record of voting with the Democrats is one of the highest in Congress. So what are you ranting about?

[franwnyc]

I'm so glad Congresswoman Maloney has decided to run for the Senate.
We need to get rid of Annie Oakley, the republican in disguise. And here's hoping she takes our useless governor with her.

[Pie7]

The old Gillibrand minus the pro-gun stance was my kinda of girl. Now, this new Gillibrand I don’t trust and therefore will not be voting for neither of them. Malony is too progressive for me.

[ObamanextPresident]

That's too bad.

[Mr-Hyde]

The Democarts better pass some legislation quickly cause they're blowing their majorities in Congress faster than ice cream melts on a hot day. It's pretty funny to watch. Sanity, patriotism and a cadre of true Americans will rule once again after the elections in 2010.

[chriss0114]

the return of facism? wrapped in a flag? carrying a cross?