New York Gov. David Paterson has tapped Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand '88, D-N.Y., to fill the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, who was confirmed as secretary of State on Wednesday, Paterson announced at a Friday press conference. Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, had long been viewed as the front-runner for the appointment, but removed herself from consideration on Thursday.
Gillibrand, a 42-year-old mother of two, is the first female -- and only current -- Dartmouth graduate to serve as a U.S. senator. Paterson said Gillibrand will resign from the House of Representatives and be sworn in as senator within the week.
"I will strive for economic and social justice," Gillibrand said at the news conference. "I will advocate for marriage rights, women's rights, preserving Social Security and the retirement that our seniors seem to be losing every day, and call for significant investments in education, and I will be a voice for our farmers and veterans in Washington."
Gillibrand's appointment follows weeks of public speculation about the Senate vacancy. Media and political analysts initially focused on New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as the most likely contender, with Gillibrand one of several potential alternatives. After Kennedy declared her intention to seek the nomination, attention turned to her.
The circumstances surrounding Kennedy's decision to withdraw this week remain unclear, although media outlets have reported that there were issues regarding taxes and the status of a household employee.
Aides close to Paterson previously told The New York Times that the governor hoped to fill the position with someone who was a woman, Hispanic, from upstate New York or some combination of the three.
"I will look for ways to strive for common ground between upstate and downstate," Gillibrand, who represents an upstate district, said at the conference. "There are so many issues where we can come together on."
Some members of New York's congressional delegation have publicly denounced the selection, with Long Island's Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., criticizing Gillibrand for her stance on several issues, including gun control.
Gillibrand is widely considered a conservative Democrat. She received a 100-percent approval rating from the National Rifle Association and has voted against several Democratic proposals, including the most recent extension of the Wall Street bailout. She also voted in favor of legislation to build a fence on the border between the United States and Mexico, a proposal generally supported by Republicans. Gillibrand, however, has voted with fellow House Democrats 93 percent of the time, according to The Washington Post, and supports key liberal issues, including abortion rights.
McCarthy, a more liberal Democrat and a strong advocate of gun control, said she will challenge Gillibrand in the Democratic primary in 2010, according to various media outlets. McCarthy lost her husband in a 1993 shooting.
Gillibrand indicated during her press conference that she may seek to move more to the left on such issues.
"I want to recognize Congresswoman McCarthy, who's provided outstanding leadership in fighting against gun violence and keeping our children safe," she said. "And I pledge to work with her on her signature bill for updating background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., went a few steps further, saying that Gillibrand's views will likely "evolve" now that she represents the entire state, instead of one rural district.
Gillibrand was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, prior to which she had not held elected office.
Paterson said he was glad New York would finally have statewide representation, explaining that the state has not had an upstate senator since 1970.
"She is dynamic, she is articulate, she is perceptive, she is courageous, she is outspoken," Paterson said.
As senator, Gillibrand said she will focus on promoting manufacturing, sustainable energy, environmentally friendly transportation, middle class tax cuts and agribusiness.
Gillibrand may seek appointment to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Agricultural Committee or Environment and Public Works Committee, according to The New York Times. Gillibrand, who currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said in the press conference that she hoped to be on the equivalent Senate committee, but there are currently no spaces available.
Schumer called Gillibrand an "outstanding choice" and added that Clinton was "effusive" in praising her replacement.
"Kirsten Gillibrand is a talented legislator and public servant," he said. "And she is one of the most effective and aggressive younger members of the House."
Gillibrand's spokeswoman declined to comment on the selection Thursday, and did not return requests for comment on Friday.
Elizabeth Thompson '88, Gillibrand's freshman year roommate at the College and fellow member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, remembered her friend as an "incredibly hard-working" student and athlete who was captain of the squash team and never missed a morning Chinese drill session.
Thompson added that she was impressed by Gillibrand's "constant focus" on her constituents.
She said her favorite memory of the Senator-designate was from a few years ago, when Gillibrand was staying at Thompson's house. After a long day of political and Dartmouth events, Gillibrand only wanted to talk about the price of heating oil in her district and how it was affecting her constituents, Thompson said.
Gillibrand has "annoyed" some fellow Dartmouth graduates by using alumni lists to seek contributions to her campaign, according to The New York Times.
"As far as I know, there have been no complaints on Kirsten Gillibrand's use of Dartmouth alumni lists to either raise money for her political campaigns or advance her career," David Spalding '76, vice president for alumni relations, said. "And in fact, I think this is a great day to have Kirsten Gillibrand elevated to the U.S. Senate."
Kristen Liu '11, who was an intern in Gillibrand's congressional office last summer, called the congresswoman an "incredibly intelligent woman" who took an interest in the daily lives and concerns of her office staff.
"I really respected her attempts to make her office, and the entire legislative process, more accountable and transparent for her constituents," Liu said.
Gillibrand graduated from the College magna cum laude with a major in Asian studies. She received a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and subsequently worked for a number of law firms and as special counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
