EdVANTAGE Blog

New York now has a second U.S. Senator, or will on Tuesday, when Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand is sworn in to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton.  The selection was made by Governor David Paterson; no other approvals are required.

Ms. Gillibrand currently represents a district that runs along the state’s eastern border, beginning in Dutchess County and running north into Essex County.  She was just elected to a second term this past November. Her name is pronounced “jill-uh-brand.”

She seems well-regarded by people active in education policy and has been visible in schools in her Congressional district.

A New York Times profile describes her as “a 42-year-old lawyer, … to politics born and bred, a relentless campaigner and fund-raiser, a competitive woman whose friends, unprompted, suggest she might someday soon seek the presidency.”  She grew up in a family prominent in Albany politics and once served as an aide to State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo when he served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton Administration.

Governor Paterson has taken a lot of criticism for his handling of the selection.  One commentator suggested he managed to offend three “royal families” in Democratic politics — the Kennedys, for bypassing Caroline and seeming to mangle the announcement of her withdrawal, the Clintons for considering Caroline after she had endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary during the presidential primary campaign; and the Cuomos for passing over Andrew.

The nature of the process allowed the Governor to make one friend while disappoiting two or six or 20 other men and women who felt they would make a fine U.S. Senator.

Senator Gillibrand would face two statewide elections in two years to retain the seat for a full term.  She would need to run in 2010 to win the right to serve the remaining two years in Hillary Clinton’s term and again in 2012 to win a full six-year term.