Why Democrats Need Not Fear Gillibrand

“I realize that for many New Yorkers, this is the first time you’ve heard my name and you don’t know much about me,” said Kirsten Gillibrand, the newly appointed senator from New York. This past Saturday, Gov. David Paterson appointed Gillibrand to fill the senate seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Gillibrand, who represented the conservative 20th Congressional District of New York, was first elected in 2006, when she defeated a secure and popular Republican incumbent, Rep. John Sweeney.

Much of the media coverage of Gillibrand’s appointment has focused on her high ratings from the National Rifle Association, controversial positions on immigration, and Paterson’s bungling of the selection process. Some of these are legitimate concerns, relevant to a larger back-and-forth about what kind of senator Gillibrand will be and what kind of a senator New Yorkers want her to be. As New Yorkers begin to speak up, it is important to recognize that Gillibrand’s appointment is an undeniable opportunity for the state. Instead of expressing disappointment with Gillibrand’s selection, we should be excited with the prospect of shaping our new senator into a strong progressive voice.

As Democrats, we do have concerns about several aspects of Gillibrand’s record, notably on immigration, Iraq, and guns. On immigration, she has supported two troubling pieces of legislation (though both unsuccessfully): one that advocated for an influx of military personnel to police our southern border, and another that penalized “sanctuary cities” that laxly enforce immigration laws. On Iraq, she was the only representative from New York to vote for the May 2007 funding bill, which both President Barack Obama and Clinton opposed.

Perhaps the most disquieting element is Gillibrand’s record on guns. While in Congress, Gillibrand was a strong supporter of gun rights for the hunters of her district. It is hard to imagine, though, that these hunters need the “cop-killer” bullets, whose ban she opposed, to shoot deer. However, Gillibrand duly recognizes that when it comes to guns, the needs of the 20th District and the needs of New York State are at vastly different ends of the spectrum. On Saturday, when she visited Harlem and Queens to discuss gun control and other urban issues with black leaders, she said, “There’s a lot of concerns in many of our city communities about gun violence, about keeping our children safe, and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. Those are concerns I share.”

Thus, we are confident that Gillibrand is eager to represent her new constituents by looking beyond the needs and influences of an overwhelmingly white district of farms and 677,000 voters. The Activist Council of the College Democrats is currently taking on a persuasion campaign to bring a young, progressive message to Gillibrand’s forthcoming agenda.

Luckily, Gillibrand’s current record provides countless bright spots for progressives. She received a rating of 100 percent from the American Civil Liberties Union, and a rating of 100 percent from NARAL Pro-Choice America. She was elected to the House on a platform that supported ethics reform and government transparency, and has been a leader on these issues. Furthermore, the most hopeful of all statements came this past week, when she stated her support of gay marriage.

Gillibrand also represents an opportunity for New York to continue its legacy of supporting strong, intelligent women leaders. From the women at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to Eleanor Roosevelt to Hillary Clinton, New York has nurtured, elected, educated, and supported women’s causes and women leaders. Gillibrand understands her responsibilities to this legacy.

Women can often be turned off by politics, perhaps because of its cutthroat competition, or perhaps because of society’s tendency to label ambitious, focused women as “bitches” (or—as Gillibrand has been called—“Tracy Flick,” the student body president hopeful from the movie Election). In an age where there are obstacles for women aspiring to careers in politics, young leaders need strong and intelligent role models who aren’t afraid to be outspoken, determined, and ambitious. Gillibrand is just the inspiration women need.

As the Obama fever that captivated our generation may be subsiding, now is the time, perhaps more than ever, for college students to care about local and national politics. We have a tremendous stake in this Senate seat—we need Gillibrand to rise to the challenge ahead of her to help guide us through a time of economic uncertainty that poses threats to our plans for our futures after college.

And we need not sit idly by and hope that our problems are addressed. Columbia students were active participants in shaping Clinton’s legacy in the Senate. We were her interns and we were members of her staff. We wrote her letters and we called her office. We campaigned for her for Senate and for president. We have the power—as political activists, as young people, and as constituents—to mold our new senator into a tireless advocate for our needs.

Gillibrand brings a fresh face to the Senate, and with her youth and vitality, she has a unique opportunity to become a fixture in Congress. Gillibrand’s former responsibility as a representative was specific to her region, but now, as she represents one of the most liberal states in the union, she can advocate progressive policies. The Columbia University College Democrats look forward with anticipation and eagerness to seeing Gillibrand passionately represent New York and its citizens. She can expect to encounter our brand of liberal activism along the way.

The authors are Columbia College first-years. They are members of the Columbia University College Democrats.