Gillibrand raises $1M more than likely challenger

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON --Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., raised nearly $1 million more than her likely Democratic primary challenger in the recent fundraising quarter.

Gillibrand's campaign said Wednesday she raised more than $1.5 million and has more than $3.2 million in cash. New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney's campaign said she raised $577,000 and has about $1.7 million to spend.

The fundraising quarter ended June 30. Two days later, an adviser to Maloney said she would enter the race, but she has not formally announced. Maloney will get a fundraising boost on Monday, when former President Bill Clinton appears at a New York fundraiser for her.

No Republicans have entered the race. Former New York Gov. George Pataki and Rep. Pete King are possible contenders.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/07/15/gillibrand_raises_1m_more_than_likely_challenger/

[karynnj]

1. This is really surprising

Maloney will get a fundraising boost on Monday, when former President Bill Clinton appears at a New York fundraiser for her.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. And that will be the end of it. Clinton is just...

honoring a prior commitment he made for her House campaign, and NOT endorsing her Senate challenge.

Maloney's an interesting character, but if she thinks she's gonna be a Senator anby time soon, she's dreaming. The entire Democratic establishment, except for maybe the Kennedy diehards, is against a primary challenge.

She might even win the primary if she runs, downstate Democrats could her over the top, but no one can see any chance in hell of her winning the general. Upstate will blow her away.

Lamont syndrome-- a few people out you over in a primary so everyone can stomp the shit out of you in the general.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Not necessarily. Depends on whom the other side fields.

NYS is increasingly blue. GOP seems likely to nominate wing-nut Peter King, ( unelectable due to ideology, imo) or the more popular but decidedly non-senatorial three time Gov, Pataki.

I'm not sure that NYS will chose an aging 'back to the 90's' GOPer over the extremely UNextreme Maloney.


I'd like to see her go for it.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. And upstate NY can't stand uppity NYC liberals...

unless that's changed in the last week or two, so an asshole like King, whose reputation has not entirely preceded him, could jump on the chance to run against Maloney, and could win after an expensive and damaging primary. There would be an incredible amount of Republican money coming into the state if Maloney runs.

I can barely understand people who live elsewhere looking at this as an academic exercise in democracy, but I cannot for the life of me fathom just why any NY Democrat would want the horrorshow of a primary. Bad enough HIllary had to beat the crap out of that other guy last time around (and I did like him, btw, although it was a foregone conclusion) but this one could get rough.

Every major Democrat from Obama on down wants to keep Gillibrand in the seat, she's Schumer's pet project, and she seems to be doing a good job. Whatever the hell is the point of recklessly endangering a valuable seat when we don't have to?

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. A lot of us want to be able to distinguish between our side ( i.e. DEMS)

>>>>Every major Democrat from Obama on down wants to keep Gillibrand in the seat, she's Schumer's pet project, and she seems to be doing a good job. Whatever the hell is the point of recklessly endangering a valuable seat when we don't have to?>>>>>

... and theirs. Gillibrand is from an old GOP politically-enmeshed family and voted on most issues indistinguishably from upstate GOPers.

Schumer's wife served as paid Commissioner of Transportation of NYC under GOPers Giuliani and Bloomberg.... under another name, of course. Little wonder, Gillibrand is his "pet project".

Just being able to follow orders and play political games is not much of a recommend, imo, for a position as important as United States Senator.

Maloney can do more than that; there's scant evidence that Gillibrand can.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Since she was representing an upstate Republican district...

one would wonder why she wouldn't vote along with upstate Republicans.

As a Senator, can you, or anyone else, point to anything particularly dreadful that she's done so far? Anything dreadful in her future?

As a first-term junior Senator, there ain't a whole lot Maloney could accomplish even if she did pull a win, and as a first-term junior Senator who pissed off most of the state and national party, there's probably even less she could do.

Gillibrand is fitting nicely into the job without a lot of fanfare and bullshit-- something I doubt Maloney could do as easily.

So, go ahead with the dream of ideological purity and just hope that if Maloney does pull off the nomination all those Long Island and upstate Republicans don't elect Peter King.