Saturday, November 22, 2008

Who will replace Clinton in the Senate?

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

The NY Times rounds up the usual suspects:

On Friday night, [Governor] Paterson told reporters that 10 to 20 people had already contacted him about their interest in taking Mrs. Clinton’s place. “I would say it’s not a shy and retiring group of people who would like to serve in the Senate,” he said, declining to name them.
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The only thing he has ruled out is appointing himself, which some have said would amount to abandoning the state amid a fiscal crisis.
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The most high-profile potential candidate is Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who has won praise during his two years in office. A Marist College poll had Mr. Cuomo comfortably leading a field of five potential replacements. Representatives Nydia M. Velázquez, Steve Israel, Nita M. Lowey and Gregory W. Meeks were all in single digits, while 43 percent of respondents favored Mr. Cuomo; 42 percent were unsure.
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The Marist poll excluded those who are likely to get serious consideration, aides said. One is Representative Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a lawmaker from Hudson, whose district stretches across 10 upstate counties.
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Other contenders include Adolfo Carrión Jr., the Bronx borough president, and two men from the Buffalo area — Representative Brian Higgins, whose district stretches to the Pennsylvania border, and Mayor Byron W. Brown of Buffalo. Less expected choices include Caroline Kennedy, who most recently worked on Mr. Obama’s campaign.
Other names we've heard include Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.