Top Dem: Paterson won't hurt Gillibrand

WASHINGTON — Gov. David A. Paterson's political slide should not sink Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand's election hopes next fall, the Senate's top promoter of Democratic candidates said Tuesday.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Mrs. Gillibrand's biggest Senate booster, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., will "drive" the election in New York "no matter who's on top of the ticket."

Mr. Menendez's comments to reporters at a news conference were at once a vote of confidence in Mrs. Gillibrand and Mr. Schumer — who remains popular both upstate and down — and an acknowledgment Mr. Paterson, at best, may do no harm to fellow Democrats — if he is ultimately the Democrats' choice. His job approval ratings have been sinking steadily, and 43 percent of New York Democrats in a recent poll said they think he will drag down other candidates.

"Kirsten Gillibrand has done an exceptional job in a short period of time," Mr. Menendez said, citing her adjustment from one-term congresswoman in a heavily Republican district to senator in a liberal-leaning state.

Pollsters and pundits have pointed to Mrs. Gillibrand's links to Mr. Paterson, who picked her to fill Hillary Rodham Clinton's seat over the objections of the Democratic establishment — including, reportedly, the White House. But, her advocates say, her record suggests she wins over voters well on her own, as illustrated by her success against Republicans twice in the 20th Congressional District.

Mrs. Gillibrand must run in a special election next year to fill out the rest of Mrs. Clinton's six-year term that runs until 2012.

So far, Mrs. Gillibrand has warded off serious Democratic primary contenders. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-Manhattan, recently said she would not run.

On the Republican side, Mrs. Gillibrand faces a potentially serious challenge from former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. Former New York Gov. George E. Pataki, also rumored to be in the running, has polled well against her as well. Both Republicans have had years to build up name recognition, however, while Mrs. Gillibrand is still working on becoming better known all around the state.

Both Republicans beat her in the latest Marist poll, with Mr. Giuliani enjoying a 9-point lead in a theoretical matchup. He trounces her in her own upstate backyard as well, by 59 percent to 33 percent, turning around the traditional logic that mayors from New York City do not generally impress upstate voters.

The political environment is not entirely comforting to Democrats. Mrs. Gillibrand and other Democrats benefited from public dissatisfaction with the Bush administration, the economy and the war in Iraq.

Now, the war in Afghanistan is hurting Democrats, as is uncertainty about their plans for health care reform.

Mr. Menendez cited the challenging environment and, with a nod to the summer's heated health care attacks from the GOP, added, "We needed to be more aggressive in August."

Democrats have also lost ground to Republicans in fund-raising, mostly owing to declines from the biggest contributors.