To the apparent surprise of many New York Democrats, Harold Ford, Jr., a Congressman and an active Blue Dog Democrat from 1997 to 2007, may throw his hat into their state's electoral ring to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for her seat's Democratic nomination.
I say "apparent surprise" because of the very public gnashing of teeth in various Democratic corners since ever-brash Mr. Ford told the New York Times earlier this week that "if I am elected senator from New York, Harry Reid will not instruct me how to vote."
Sen. Gillibrand, who served as special counsel to Housing & Urban Development during the Clinton administration, was a surprise appointment by unpopular New York Gov. Paterson to take the place of Hillary Clinton, who resigned to become Secretary of State. Gillibrand took office one year ago, on January 23, 2009.
In what the Times called "a clear swipe at Ms. Gillibrand," Ford quipped that "he would not be a lap dog for Democratic leaders in Washington." Sen. Gillibrand is widely known to be close to the Clintons, and has proven a malleable adherent of the Obama agenda. Hence, President Obama thought he had "cleared the Democratic primary field for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York, two Democrats said" in May 2009.
But recent polls have shown that Sen. Gillibrand is not a particularly strong candidate for reelection to the remaining two years of this seat's term.
And since his narrow but bruising, racist-tinged defeat in the 2006 Senate race in his home state of Tennessee, Ford has been itching to get back into politics. With his 2008 marriage to a New Yorker, Ford has warmed to a new political career in the Empire State.
Some of the Democratic party establishment is none-too-happy with Ford's challenge of Gillibrand for the Senate seat. And one wonders what compelled the New York Times to publish an unflattering, semi-hit piece on Ford yesterday. (Full disclosure: About.com is owned by the New York Times.)
But Ford's candidacy has been "encouraged by a group of influential New York Democrats" and top Democratic donors who are dissatisfied by Sen. Gillibrand, per the Times.
Instead, I agree with U.S. News & World Report columnist Linda Killian when she penned today:
"Like all successful politicians, Ford does not suffer from a lack of self-esteem or ambition. There is very little downside to him making the Senate run, and he has almost nothing to lose."He might irritate some Democratic leaders in the process, but it will certainly raise his national profile and should he be unsuccessful, position him for something else down the road.
"And of course it would be a lot of fun to watch."
2010 may be the year that Congressional incumbents, both Democratic and Republican, are defeated in droves. Anti-incumbency fever may be Harold Ford, Jr.'s overdue ticket to the U.S. Senate. I say... let the race begin!
You can read about Mr. Ford's interesting history and background at Profile of Harold Ford, Jr., U.S. Senate Candidate from New York
Also take the time to read 2010 U.S. Senate Races - Who's Winning, Who's Not, my handicapping of all 37 Senate races in 2010.
Comments
Hi Deborah –
As much as I like Haroild Ford, he whiffed badly on his NY Times interview.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/nyregion/fordexcerpts.html?pagewanted=all
I do not foresee the NY voters electing Ford to the US Senate. His past statements, and votes, regarding issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion will come back to defeat him. He is a strong supporter of the Wall Street elite and assumes that the voters are stupid enough to ignore all this and vote for him simply because he now “talks the talk” of a progressive. He is a true “Blue Dog Democrat” and the voters of NY will see through him like glass. His past voting record will defeat him in the NY primary, if he gets in the ring.