Republicans are happier than Democrats with New York’s new Democratic U.S. senator, according to a poll released Monday.
A new Quinnipiac University Poll shows 56 percent of Republicans reacting favorably to the appointment of Senator-designate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Hudson, while only 41 percent of Democrats say they approve.
Gillibrand was named to the Senate seat on Friday by Gov. David Paterson. She will replace Hillary Clinton, who became U.S. secretary of state last week. The new senator will be sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday.
The appointment was controversial for several reasons. Among them: Gillibrand’s virtual anonymity outside of the Albany-area congressional district she had represented since 2007; her conservative record on several issues, including gun rights; and Paterson’s perceived snub of Caroline Kennedy, once considered the frontrunner for the Senate seat.
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2009/01/26/daily5.html