Free Republic

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York shows Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) way ahead of any of her three possible Republican challengers for U.S. Senate. She beats Bruce Blakeman (R), 44% to 26%, tops David Malpass (R), 45% to 24%, and is ahead of Joseph DioGuardi (R), 43% to 28%. Said pollster Maurice Carroll: "Who are those guys who want to run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand? In match-ups, each of the three gets the generic Republican vote. But most voters don't know much about any of them."

While national Democratic leaders have been busy pummeling President Bush, New York's senior senator, Charles E. Schumer, a Democrat, spent part of a campaign debate on Sunday aligning himself with the president, saying he voted with Mr. Bush "to extend the child income tax credit,'' and that he "voted with the president for authorization to go into Iraq." With those comments, Mr. Schumer underscored a strategic reality as he seeks re-election: He is not just content to win a second term in the United States Senate, but he is looking to win big. And to do that, he must attract...