Gillibrand’s Presidential Bid

New York State’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, made public her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination this week in an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” This made national news, but in East Hampton, the announcement seemed to draw little notice. 

Ms. Gillibrand had been a member of the House of Representatives from the upstate district that includes Albany before her appointment as senator in 2009 by Gov. David Paterson. She was little known statewide at that point and that she was to succeed Hillary Clinton, whom President Obama had made secretary of state in his first term, surprised many observers. Time proved that Mr. Paterson was onto something in selecting her; since winning a special election in 2010 to fill out Mrs. Clinton’s term, she has scored landslide wins over her Republican rivals.

Yet 10 years later, Ms. Gillibrand might be as unfamiliar to East End residents as she was when she represented New York’s 20th Congressional District. From her start in the Senate, she has seen her role as that of a national figure, working on such issues as sexual violence within the military and health measures for 9/11 responders. Ms. Gillibrand has made few visits to East Hampton during her time in the Senate, but then, her colleague, Senator Charles Schumer, has not been around much either.

It is fitting perhaps that she chose to make her presidential bid known in a television appearance. At least Mr. Colbert’s show is seen throughout the state.