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Ken Rudin over at NPR has some interesting names who are coveting the open Senate seat in NY. The junior Senator was not scheduled to face re-election until 2012:
There is no shortage of Democrats who are hoping for an appointment by New York Gov. David Paterson (D) should Clinton leave to join the Cabinet. The list includes state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who unsuccessfully sought the governorship in 2002 and who might have been looking at a primary challenge to Paterson in 2010; Rep. Nita Lowey of Westchester, who was planning to run for the Senate herself in 2000 until Clinton decided she was a New Yorker; Rep. Brian Higgins of Buffalo, who would give the Democrats an upstate presence; Rep. Nydia Velazquez of Brooklyn, the first Puerto Rican woman in the House; and environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose father once held the seat. Any appointee would have to face the voters in a special election in 2009.
Governor Paterson hinted to the Post that he may appoint himself.
On the undecided House races:
California 04: As the count continues, Republican Tom McClintock’s lead over Democrat Charlie Brown is up to 970 votes out of more than 312,000 counted. The incumbent, Republican John Doolittle, is retiring.
Ohio 15: In the battle for the seat of retiring Republican Deborah Pryce, GOP candidate Steve Stivers leads Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy by 149 votes.
Virginia 05: Tom Perriello (D) has increased his lead over GOP incumbent Virgil Goode to 745 votes. Perriello has already declared victory.
In addition, two Louisiana races go into December runoffs.
You can join the “Rudy for NY Governor” Facebook group here.
November 18th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Giuliani perhaps?
Wasn’t he originally going to challenge Clinton for the seat?
November 18th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
MatthewK, the question is who will Patterson appoint. That’s not going to be a Republican.
November 18th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
#1 – Yes, but he then was diagnosed with cancer.
#2 – It might be Obama’s decision.
November 18th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
#3. Kristofer.
Why on Earth would it be Obama’s decision on who Paterson appoints to replace Clinton’s seat. Obama has even taken a back seat on his own Senate seat.
November 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Rudy 2010!
November 18th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
If Paterson appoints himself as Senator, then Rudy’s path to the NY governorship is wide open. Rudy for Governor 2010!
November 18th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
#4, The NY Governor will cal Obama and ask him. The dems are close to 60 seats, so Obama will demand a ‘loyal’ replacement.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Speaking of unresolved races, does anyone know why Al Franken is above 60 in the MN Senate race?
November 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I would rather see Rudy run for the Senate. We are going to need to take back a few seats from the Dems as soon as possible and I would think that Rudy would have an excellent chance of picking up the seat against a less than 2 yr Senate appointee.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Paterson will not appoint himself. There is no Lt. Gov. (since Paterson himself held that position before he succeeded Spitzer). Thus the next in line is the leader of the Senate – who is a Repub. So forget that.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Patterson appointing himself would be monumentally stupid, as we’ve discussed in the Palin for Senate threads.
Doing so would leave the Governor’s mansion wide open to Rudy and make Patterson vulnerable to losing the Senate seat in 2010.
What about George Pataki? Now before everyone hisses and groans, let’s remember we need to be big tent in order to win in places died in the wool conservatives can’t win. Remember, a vote for Senate leadership is a vote for Senate leadership. I mention Pataki because he has proven obvious success winning as a Republican statewide in NY, winning 3 consecutive terms as Governor.
I think with some combination of Giuliani, Pataki and maybe Congressman Peter King we could field a competitive team in NY for both Senate seats and the governor’s mansion.
We have a similar trio in Arnold, Whitman and Fiorina in California too.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
By the way, Patterson will probably appoint Andrew Cuomo to the Senate seat because he knows that Cuomo might mount a primary challenge against him for Governor in 2010. This would get him out of the way.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
#12, great thought process. Food for thought!
November 18th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
#8 Quacknhack: Above 60 what?