WASHINGTON – There won’t be another female senator from New York running for the White House soon.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said she has no plans to follow in her successor’s footsteps and challenge President Donald Trump in 2020.
“No, I am running for Senate. I’m running for Senate in 2018,” she told John Catsimatidis Sunday on his radio show “Cats Roundtable” on 970 AM in New York. “And I really love my job and I feel like I can make a huge difference for New Yorkers, fighting for them.”
Gillibrand, 50, was appointed to the senate seat of Hillary Clinton when she became Secretary of State and was elected by New Yorkers in a special election in 2010 and to a full term in 2012.
She was an outspoken backer for Clinton and has since become a vocal critic of President Trump, gaining progressive praise for voting against almost all of his cabinet picks. She voted in favor of Nikki Haley for United Nations ambassador.
“Unfortunately, a lot of these nominees are either ill-prepared or inexperienced or really on the very, very right ideologically, Gillibrand said. “And so, for most of them, I voted no.”
With President Obama out of office and Clinton out of the limelight after a two-time defeat for the White House, Democrats are looking for their future leadership.
Along with Gillibrand, 2020 prospects have included Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The White House is also viewing other outspoken critics as potential contenders, The Post reported: Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
Meanwhile, Gillibrand continues to be a champion for women’s rights and has recently reintroduced legislation to create a universal, gender neutral paid family and medial leave program.
“We need to have a national policy where any family member can take time off for a family emergency by having a national insurance plan,” Gillibrand said.