WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Paterson Appoints Gillibrand to Fill Senate Seat
Member Center:
Albany, New York - January 23, 2009
The political drama over Hillary Clinton's former Senate seat is over.
Gov. David Paterson, D-New York, appointed North Country Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand.
Caroline Kennedy and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo had been considered front-runners for several weeks.
Gillibrand is a 42-year-old lawyer. She is in her second term in Congress. Gillibrand lives in the Hudson Valley and represents part of our region in Essex County. She has been praised for strong political and fundraising skills and is considered a fiscal conservative and supporter of gun owners.
She laid out her priorities Friday: "Maintaining and preserving jobs, reestablishing manufacturing, investing in agri-business and small farms, cultivating high-tech and bio-tech, and a concerted focus on new energy technologies and new innovations will be my focus as senator."
Sen. Gillibrand also promised to push for increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate, and for high-speed rail across New York.
Gillibrand will have to run for reelection in 2010.
