Jan 23, 2009 6:20 am US/Eastern
Will Paterson Pick The 'NRA Poster Woman?'
Governor Said To Be Leaning Toward Gillibrand, But Upstate Democrat Has 1 N.Y. Congresswoman Seeing Red
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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New York Gov. David Paterson appears at the annual Columbus Day parade on Fifth Avenue Oct. 13, 2008 in New York City.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
Caroline Kennedy's sudden and stunning decision to drop out of the U.S. Senate race has left Gov. David Paterson with a tough decision as to who will fill Hillary Clinton's vacant seat.
And some don't like direction he's going.
Kennedy is out of the running for the Senate because of unexpected personal issues, said to include not paying taxes on nannies and marital strife. But when she called politicians Thursday she never said why a run right now would be impossible for her.
"She did not give me a reason," Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said. "I did not ask for any."
But you can bet Paterson will be closely questioned about the person he does pick to fill Clinton's seat.
The front-runners are Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, teachers' union president Randi Weingarten, Congressmen Steve Israel and Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand of Hudson County.
It's Gillibrand that could end up being a potential headache for Paterson, should he pick her.
"I'm extremely upset about this. I don't believe New York should have a senator that has a 100 percent voting record with the NRA," Rep. Carolyn McCarthy told CBS 2 HD.
Gillibrand has McCarthy asking a lot of questions and that's a problem because Gov. Paterson has reportedly been telling some upstate lawmakers he's leaning towards Gillibrand.
McCarthy lost her husband, Dennis, during the Long Island Rail Road gun massacre in 1993, so an NRA supporter is her worst nightmare.
"I just came though the 15th anniversary of losing my husband," McCarthy said.
McCarthy said if the governor appoints Gillibrand, she will try to defeat her in a 2010 primary.
"Believe me, at 65 this is not the fight I want to do but if that's the fight I have to do, it's the fight I'll do," McCarthy said.
Pundits say Paterson would be on shaky ground with Gillibrand.
"She is the NRA poster woman for New York and downstate that would not do very well," political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said. "Look, to Long Island, that's where the population is. That's where the Catholics are. That's where the governor has to win."
The Senate appointee could be announced by Friday. Late Thursday, Gov. Paterson put out a statement saying he has not notified anyone of his selection and he has found nothing in their disclosure statements that would make him ask anyone to withdraw.
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