A financial advantage, superior networking, powerful backers, rural cred. Would you believe we’re talking about a woman in politics?
Here’s why, according to The Times:
It has undoubtedly helped Ms. Gillibrand that her powerful allies, like the state’s senior senator, Charles E. Schumer, and President Obama, have helped ward off potential Democratic challengers.
But a more likely explanation is that Ms. Gillibrand possesses assets most of the aspiring senators lack. She has a legitimate geographic base, having represented an Albany-area Congressional district in a part of the state where her family is prominent. She has a network of donors, especially women, who are not going to abandon her. She has a commitment to working her tail off to keep the seat, a fact that even her political enemies grudgingly acknowledge. And, perhaps most important, she has $5.1 million in her campaign account.
Whether you care for Gillibrand’s politics or not, this is a nice inversion of the usual problems usually faced by women running for high-profile political office. She is benefiting from a network of donors, which includes powerful men as well as wealthy women. She is something of an insider pick, coming from a political family. And she has no problem putting herself out there and saying she wants this.
Of course, none of this is enough to score a meal with Mike Bloomberg. But she’s probably too busy anyhow.
Question Remains: What Makes Gillibrand Scary? [NYT]
Related: Gillibrand Still Trying To Win Over Bloomberg [NYT]
