Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand could face a bruising Democratic primary from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or a similarly far-left rival, insiders say.
Gillibrand, the state’s junior senator, who was first appointed to the job a decade ago by former Gov. Paterson, announced last week her intention to hunt re-election in 2024.
The 2-term lawmaker can be formidable. Her campaign committee is sitting on greater than $4 million.
AOC, nonetheless, has greater than $5.4 million in her campaign war chest, in keeping with her most up-to-date filings.
“She could do it. Oh, my God, could she do it,” said Ryan Adams, a Latest York City-based Democratic consultant who often works with progressive candidates, of an AOC challenge.
“If she ran for Senate the fundraising that may are available from throughout the country would easily make her competitive. And no one campaigns like her. Everyone would come out,” Adams continued. “The apparatus that may spring up round her can be unstoppable. People would fly in from other states to volunteer together with her.”
An individual near AOC said the congresswoman was fascinated about a Senate run sooner or later but refused to elaborate. There was fevered speculation she would challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer last yr, an idea which got here to nothing. A former staffer for the congresswoman told The Post last yr that AOC could easily best Gilly in a primary.
Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres has also been floated as a possible opponent. He has a decent $3.8 million within the campaign bank.
“There are rumblings in his circles pushing him to eventually go for the Senate,” said an individual near Torres, who added the congressman was lukewarm on the concept and currently more focused on growing his seniority within the House. Torres recently donated $10,000 to Gillibrand’s re-election fund.
“I don’t think it’s not possible,” Jeremy Cohen, co-chairman of the Latest York City Democratic Socialists of America, said of a progressive primary against Gillibrand, adding that the Big Apple’s card-carrying reds can be watching the senator closely to see if she can be a champion of their causes — “like Bernie Sanders.”
Reps for Torres and AOC didn’t reply to requests for comment from The Post.
Experts said Gillibrand was vulnerable for quite a lot of reasons. For her entire profession in Washington D.C., the senator has labored within the shadow of Schumer, who’s now Senate Majority Leader and an old-school bring-home-the-bacon dealmaker.
While Gillibrand has made a reputation for herself as a champion of certain marquee liberal causes, she has not distinguished herself as a “pot-hole” senator like Schumer or his predecessor Al D’Amato, critics say.
“She is a policy person on issues which Latest Yorkers care about — like women’s issues and reforming the code of military justice — but the typical person within the South Bronx isn’t desirous about this,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic strategist.
Others noted that Gillibrand, an upstater, didn’t have a natural power base in Latest York City and was also deflated by a lackluster presidential campaign in 2020.
AOC would also carry the predictable baggage, including past stances to defund the police, criticism of Israel, and her opposition to an Amazon headquarters in Queens. Out-of-control crime, a consequence of policies championed by progressives, nearly cost Gov. Hochul her reelection.
Team Gillibrand said they were confident.
“From making gun trafficking a federal crime to securing health advantages for 9/11 survivors and our veterans to bringing home thousands and thousands of dollars to spice up the economy, Senator Gillibrand has delivered for the people of Latest York. She’s confident Latest Yorkers will re-elect her,” said spokesman Evan Lukaske.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand could face a bruising Democratic primary from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or a similarly far-left rival, insiders say.
Gillibrand, the state’s junior senator, who was first appointed to the job a decade ago by former Gov. Paterson, announced last week her intention to hunt re-election in 2024.
The 2-term lawmaker can be formidable. Her campaign committee is sitting on greater than $4 million.
AOC, nonetheless, has greater than $5.4 million in her campaign war chest, in keeping with her most up-to-date filings.
“She could do it. Oh, my God, could she do it,” said Ryan Adams, a Latest York City-based Democratic consultant who often works with progressive candidates, of an AOC challenge.
“If she ran for Senate the fundraising that may are available from throughout the country would easily make her competitive. And no one campaigns like her. Everyone would come out,” Adams continued. “The apparatus that may spring up round her can be unstoppable. People would fly in from other states to volunteer together with her.”
An individual near AOC said the congresswoman was fascinated about a Senate run sooner or later but refused to elaborate. There was fevered speculation she would challenge Sen. Chuck Schumer last yr, an idea which got here to nothing. A former staffer for the congresswoman told The Post last yr that AOC could easily best Gilly in a primary.
Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres has also been floated as a possible opponent. He has a decent $3.8 million within the campaign bank.
“There are rumblings in his circles pushing him to eventually go for the Senate,” said an individual near Torres, who added the congressman was lukewarm on the concept and currently more focused on growing his seniority within the House. Torres recently donated $10,000 to Gillibrand’s re-election fund.
“I don’t think it’s not possible,” Jeremy Cohen, co-chairman of the Latest York City Democratic Socialists of America, said of a progressive primary against Gillibrand, adding that the Big Apple’s card-carrying reds can be watching the senator closely to see if she can be a champion of their causes — “like Bernie Sanders.”
Reps for Torres and AOC didn’t reply to requests for comment from The Post.
Experts said Gillibrand was vulnerable for quite a lot of reasons. For her entire profession in Washington D.C., the senator has labored within the shadow of Schumer, who’s now Senate Majority Leader and an old-school bring-home-the-bacon dealmaker.
While Gillibrand has made a reputation for herself as a champion of certain marquee liberal causes, she has not distinguished herself as a “pot-hole” senator like Schumer or his predecessor Al D’Amato, critics say.
“She is a policy person on issues which Latest Yorkers care about — like women’s issues and reforming the code of military justice — but the typical person within the South Bronx isn’t desirous about this,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democratic strategist.
Others noted that Gillibrand, an upstater, didn’t have a natural power base in Latest York City and was also deflated by a lackluster presidential campaign in 2020.
AOC would also carry the predictable baggage, including past stances to defund the police, criticism of Israel, and her opposition to an Amazon headquarters in Queens. Out-of-control crime, a consequence of policies championed by progressives, nearly cost Gov. Hochul her reelection.
Team Gillibrand said they were confident.
“From making gun trafficking a federal crime to securing health advantages for 9/11 survivors and our veterans to bringing home thousands and thousands of dollars to spice up the economy, Senator Gillibrand has delivered for the people of Latest York. She’s confident Latest Yorkers will re-elect her,” said spokesman Evan Lukaske.
