Kirsten’s campaign for New York’s 20th District is based on returning trust and accountability to government and reclaiming the days when government worked hardest for those who need it most. Kirsten is an accomplished civic leader, attorney, wife, and mother who understands that politicians are supposed to be looking out for you and are supposed to represent all citizens – not just those who can afford the most access.

“Kirsten will be a tireless and effective advocate for the people of the 20th Congressional District. She is truly a rising star among a new generation of leadership in New York State.” – New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer

What Makes Kirsten an Extraordinary, Visionary Leader?

Kirsten says, “It is time for the current leadership in Washington to stop wasting America’s greatness. I am running to be your Congresswoman to bring real solutions that are not about being a Democrat, Republican or Independent, but that are about solving problems for the right reasons – for our children, for our communities and for our country’s future.”

To that end, Kirsten has proposed a platform that includes meaningful healthcare reform for all and making prescription drug coverage for seniors available. Kirsten believes that big drug companies and the insurance industry should not be allowed to determine the quality of our healthcare or to stand in the way of real reform.

Kirsten also has a strong national defense policy that includes true energy independence and calls for a renewed strategic Iraq plan with defined milestones, including a resolution to establish no permanent bases in Iraq and an effort to create substantial renewed participation from our allies.

Perhaps one of Kirsten’s boldest initiatives is her call for true campaign finance reform. She says, “I am calling for campaign finance reform, clean elections, voting machines that work, and getting money and corruption out of government. I will lead by demonstrating how open government can work by regularly meeting with the people of this district to be accountable to them for my priorities and my votes. Voters have a right to know what their representative is doing in Washington – how they are voting and why they are voting a certain way.”

Background:

Kirsten Gillibrand is currently a partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner, one of the premier law firms in the United States. She works on a wide range of legal and policy-related issues. Gillibrand understands the needs of those who have no voice, representing many pro-bono cases for those in need of first-rate legal representation. She has represented abused women and their children as well as tenants seeking safe housing after lead paint and unsafe conditions were found in their homes.

A native of Albany, Gillibrand lives with her husband, Jonathan, and their two-year-old son, Theodore, in Hudson, New York. A magna cum laude graduate from Dartmouth College, Gillibrand received her law degree at the University of California at Los Angeles Law School. She served as a law clerk on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Gillibrand remains active in a wide range of political and public service efforts, serving as chair of the Women’s Leadership Forum Network and on the boards of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee and the Commission on Greenway Heritage Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley. She also serves on the advisory board for the Brennan Center for Justice, which recently led the call for reform of New York state government.

Race Facts

Race Type: Democratic Challenge
Primary Opponent: None
Primary Date: September 12, 2006
Primary Election Results: Won Primary
General Opponent: Rep. John Sweeney (incumbent)
General Election Date: November 7, 2006
General Election Results: Won, 53 – 47 percent