Carolyn Maloney Gives up the fight against NY Sen Gillibrand
Source: times.com
NY Times
Gillibrand Rival Won't Run in Primary
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
WASHINGTON -- Representative Carolyn B. Maloney announced Friday that she had changed her mind and had decided not to mount a Democratic primary challenge against Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in next year's election.
"Running for the Senate is a full-time job," Ms. Maloney said in a statement.
"Giving up for a critical period of time the things I do best -- passing legislation, working on the issues, serving New Yorkers -- would put politics before policy.
The right decision for me and the people I represent is to stay in the House of Representatives."
A person close to Ms. Maloney, who represents parts of Manhattan and Queens, said she reached the decision after days of consideration that running would mean leaving her current job at a point when she had significant seniority in Congress.
She was first elected in 1992.
"It's been a tough decision for her," said the Maloney associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter.
The change eases Ms. Gillibrand's path to the Democratic nomination in the race for the United States Senate next year. She was chosen in January by Gov. David A. Paterson to fill the seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Democratic leaders including President Obama had embarked on an intense effort to nudge potential challengers out of the race out of concerns that a bruising primary battle would have weakened Ms. Gillibrand against a Republican challenge in the general election.
Steve Israel, a five-term congressman from Long Island, decided in May not to challenge Ms. Gillibrand after President Obama called him and asked him not to enter the campaign.
A few days later, Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, who had created a committee to explore the possibility of challenging Ms. Gillibrand, also decided to abandon the effort, citing the party's desire to avoid a primary battle.
Democratic leaders from New York to Washington reasoned that a primary race would deplete the financial resources of the eventual Democratic nominee and subject him or her to attacks that Republicans could later exploit.
Ms. Maloney cited her involvement in health care reform and her leadership on legislation to provide assistance to people who suffered health problems while working near ground zero after 9/11 as compelling reasons to stay in the House.
"I welcome the challenge of shaping those bills and passing those reforms," Ms. Maloney said in her statement.
"I may not be entering the race, but I will never leave the fight."
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