When Caroline Kennedy dropped out of the race to replace former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), New York Gov. David Paterson (D) looked upstate and chose two-term Rep. Gillibrand, one of New York’s most conservative Democrats, to replace Clinton.
From the suburban Albany 20th district, which George W. Bush won by 8 points in 2004, Gillibrand was expected to appeal to women and upstate New Yorkers to help Paterson win his own 2010 election race for a full Senate term.
Though some downstate New York Democrats have opposed Gillibrand’s conservative stances on gun control, including a 2008 endorsement by the National Rifle Association (NRA), she's found support in crucial corners, including from her state's senior senator, Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.).Hernandez, Raymond, "N.Y.'s Junior Senator Gains a Defender: The Senior Senator," The New York Times, May 7, 2009
But Gillibrand's centrist tendencies may make her vulnerable to Democratic challengers in 2010. Former Tennessee Rep. Harold E. Ford, Jr. (D), who moved to New York for a job in finance after losing his seat in 2006, is mulling a primary challenge to Gillibrand. Hernandez, Raymond, The New York Times, "As Senator's War Chest Grows, So Does Primary Threat," January 10, 2010
At a Glance
Current Position: Appointed to U.S. Senate (since January 2009)
Career History: U.S. Representative from New York's 20th district (2006 to 2009); Special Counsel, Department of Housing and Urban Development (2000); Attorney, Boies, Schiller (1992 to 2006)
Birthday: December 9, 1966
Hometown: Hudson, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Dartmouth College, B.A. (Asian studies), 1988; University of California, Los Angeles, Law School, J.D., 1991
Spouse: Jonathan
Religion: N/A
DC Office:
120 Cannon House Office Building
(202) 225-5614
State/District Office: Hudson,(518) 828-3109
Delhi, (607) 746-8449
Saratoga Springs, (518) 581-8247
Glens Falls, (518) 743-0964
Gillibrand was first exposed to politics as a child, when her Democratic activist grandmother took the young Gillibrand with her on the campaign trail. But her father was a lobbyist with ties to former New York Gov. George Pataki (R).
Gillibrand went to high school in Troy, N.Y., at an all-girls prep school. She moved on to Dartmouth College, where she received a B.A. in Asian studies in 1988. Gillibrand had her first exposure to the Senate early, when she spent a summer working for Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-N.Y.), who lead hearings into the Whitewater charges that tarred Gillibrand’s predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as first lady.
After traveling, Gillibrand went to UCLA law school and served in a United Nation internship in Vienna, Austria.
After graduating from law school in 1991, Gillibrand clerked for a federal appeals court judge before practicing at the New York law firm Davis, Polk & Wardwell from 1991 to 2001, where she helped to represent tobacco giant Philip Morris defend itself in lawsuits from the federal government. She briefly worked for the New York firm Boies, Schiller, where she became a partner. She also served a brief stint as a special counsel under Housing and Clinton administration Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo (D). Cuomo was rumored as a top pick for Clinton’s Senate seat as well.
2006 Congressional Campaign
In 2005, she announced she would try to unseat four-term Republican Congressman John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) from New York’s 20th district, an area that rings Albany and parts of the picturesque Hudson Valley.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition Gillibrand lives in Hudson, N.Y., with her husband, Jonathan, and their two young children.
Though her success seemed unlikely, luck was on Gillibrand’s side in a year that saw Republicans struggle. Sweeney suffered some setbacks that made him vulnerable, including a sudden hospitalization that caused him to miss key votes. Questions about his association with infamous lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a late-night visit to a frat party did not help his image.
Though Sweeney led in the polls until as late as August 2006, he was on the defensive and continued to outspend Gillibrand. Sweeney accused Gillibrand of being a carpetbagger from downstate with an apartment in Manhattan, playing on the strained relationship that New York City has with the rest of its state.
A 2006 Gillibrand campaign ad slung mud at Sweeney for slinging mud.
Gillibrand continued an aggressive campaign, and got help in the form of campaign appearances with Sen. Clinton.
One week before the election, news of a 2005 police incident in which Sweeney’s wife accused the congressman of “knocking her around.”Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition That sealed the deal for Gillibrand, who won with 53 percent of the vote in a year that presaged a Democratic resurgence.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition She was the first Democrat to represent the 20th district since 1978.
In Congress, Gillibrand has become known for “bold political moves and centrist policy positions,” the New York Times reported.Hakim, Danny and Nicolas Confessore, “Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate,” The New York Times, January 23, 2009
She served on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. Parts of Gillibrand’s district are rural. Pregnant for much of her first term, Gillibrand continued working right up until the day she gave birth to her son, Henry, in June 2008.Hakim, Danny and Nicolas Confessore, “Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate,” The New York Times, January 23, 2009 She won a commanding victory in the 2008.Hornbeck, Leigh, “Is Gillibrand a Senate Dark Horse,” Albany Times Union, January 9, 2009
Senate Appointment
When Sen. Clinton was appointed as Barack Obama’s Secretary of State, a melee ensued over who would be named to the seat. Caroline Kennedy was the highest-profile contender.
After Kennedy (whose candidacy was troubled from the start) dropped out on Jan. 21, 2009, Gov. Paterson was said to be debating between two contenders: United Teachers Federation President Randi Weingarten Gillibrand. “One of Mr. Paterson’s preferences had been to select a woman to replace Mrs. Clinton,” The New York Times wrote.Hakim, Danny and Nicolas Confessore, “Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate,” The New York Times, January 23, 2009
Paterson reportedly saw the Senate pick as a chance to appeal to groups that will help him win in his own 2010 race: in upstate voters and women.
Gillibrand reportedly got the governor’s call at 2 a.m. on January 23, 2009. She accepted.
The Issues
Gillibrand comes from the traditionally Republican area of upstate New York, and Politico has called her, “one of the state’s most conservative Democrats.”Smith, Ben, “Chaos, and Gillibrand,” Politico.com, January 23, 2009 Some of her more moderate positions concern “the party’s more liberal leaders downstate.”Hakim, Danny and Nicolas Confessore, “Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate,” The New York Times, January 23, 2009
Gun Control
One example of Gillibrand’s not-traditionally-Democratic positions: She was endorsed by the National Rifle Assocation (NRA) in 2008. “Representative Carolyn McCarthy, a Long Island Democrat and ardent gun control activist, said Thursday that if Ms. Gillibrand got the job, she was prepared to run against her in a primary in 2010,” the New York Times said.Hakim, Danny and Nicolas Confessore, “Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate,” The New York Times, January 23, 2009
McCarthy, whose husband was killed and son maimed by a crazed gunman on a commuter train, had been considered a contender to be named to the Senate seat when Clinton was named Secretary of State.
In her speech accepting the Senate seat, she pledged to work with Rep. McCarthy on her bill to updated background checks and "keep guns out of the hands of criminals."
Tobacco
As a young associate at the Manhattan law firm of Davis, Polk & Wardwell, Gillibrand appears to have been a key player in defending tobacco company Philip Morris federal charges of perjury regarding whether smoking was dangerous to human health, according to a New York Times report.Hernandez, Raymond and Kocieniewksi, David, The New York Times, "As New Lawyer, Senator Defended Big Tobacco," March 27, 2009
In that capacity, Gillibrand, then Kirsten Rutnik, served on the Philip Morris' "Eastern District of New York Subpoena Working Group," which "helped limit what evidence the government obtained" for its case against tobacco. Giilibrand "also monitored the testimony of witnesses who appeared before the grand jury and wrote strategy memos to the Philip Morris general counsel, Ken Handal, analyzing the witnesses’ statements and their impact on the investigation."Hernandez, Raymond and Kocieniewksi, David, The New York Times, "As New Lawyer, Senator Defended Big Tobacco," March 27, 2009
Furthermore, Gillibrand traveled twice to a German lab that conducted highly-secret tests for Philip Morris on tobacco's links to cancer. Gillibrand's spokesman told the New York Times that the senator just did the work assigned to her as a young legal associate and that she should be judged on the breadth of her record in Congress, which includes supporting a hike in cigarette taxes to expand a state children's health program.Hernandez, Raymond and Kocieniewksi, David, The New York Times, "As New Lawyer, Senator Defended Big Tobacco," March 27, 2009
Transparency
Gillibrand’s team prides itself on transparency and has taken steps to make the congressowoman’s action open to constituents. “She was the first Member of Congress to publish [her] public schedule online at the end of each day,” her official biography notes.Kirsten Gillibrand House Web site
She also voluntarily released every earmark that she requested for her district and is a proponent of earmark reform.Kirsten Gillibrand House Web site
The Financial Bailout
Gillibrand went against House leadership to vote against both versions of the TARP bill in the Fall of 2008.Fairbanks, Eve, “Ten thing You DIdn’t Know about Kirsten Gillibrand,” The New Republic, January 23, 2009 But the House passed the bill anyway.
Technology
During her first House term, Gillibrand founded the Congressional High-Tech Caucus with GOP Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas). Their stated goals is, “ensuring that the United States remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and high tech industries.” The caucus organized an industry panel to discuss patent reform before Congress passed the 2007 patent reform bill. Gillibrand and McCaul have also organized demonstrations on the threat posed by cyberterrorism and advocated better cyber-security.
Health Care Reform
Gillibrand supports reform with a public option that is included in the initial legislation without a trigger.Stand With Doctor Dean web site
The Network
Gillibrand will owe her appointment to New York Gov. Paterson. But her ties to the New York political establishment run both ways; she worked for former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato (R-N.Y.), who famously investigated then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) over Whitewater. She also worked as a special counsel under Clinton Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo (D). Cuomo was also considered a possible Senate contender.
Shortly after her appointment, Gillibrand hired Clinton's former state director Karen Persichelli Keogh as a senior adviser.Thrush, Glenn, "Top Clinton Adviser Working with Gillibrand," Politico.com, January 26, 2009
In her speech accepting Paterson's nomination to the Senate, Gillibrand specifically thanked recently-retired Rep. Mike McNulty (D-N.Y.) and current Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) for their mentorship during her first years in the House.
