Kirsten Gillibrand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirsten Gillibrand
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Braun |
| Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Gary Peters |
| United States Senator from New York |
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| Assumed office January 26, 2009 Serving with Chuck Schumer
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| Preceded by | Hillary Clinton |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 20th district |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 26, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | John E. Sweeney |
| Succeeded by | Scott Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik
December 9, 1966 Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Jonathan Gillibrand
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician. She has served as a U.S. Senator for New York since 2009. Before becoming a senator, she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Gillibrand went to Dartmouth College and UCLA School of Law. She worked in law and government before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2006. She represented New York's 20th congressional district.
In 2009, she was chosen to fill the Senate seat left by Hillary Clinton. Gillibrand won special elections and has been reelected several times. She supports ideas like paid family leave and a federal jobs guarantee. In 2019, she ran for president but later ended her campaign.
Early Life and Education
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik was born on December 9, 1966, in Albany, New York. Her parents, Polly Edwina Noonan and Douglas Paul Rutnik, were both lawyers. She has an older brother and a younger sister.
Her grandmother, Dorothea "Polly" Noonan, was a founder of the Albany Democratic Women's Club. She was also a leader in the city's Democratic political group.
Kirsten used the nickname "Tina" when she was younger. She started using her birth name after law school. In 1984, she graduated from Emma Willard School, an all-girls private school.
She then went to Dartmouth College, where she studied Asian Studies. She spent time studying in Beijing and Taiwan. She graduated with honors in 1988. At Dartmouth, she was part of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
During college, she interned in Senator Al D'Amato's office. She earned her law degree from UCLA School of Law and passed the bar exam in 1991.
Legal Career and Public Service
Working as a Lawyer
In 1991, Gillibrand joined the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan. In 1992, she worked as a law clerk for Judge Roger Miner in Albany.
At Davis Polk, she worked as a defense attorney for the tobacco company Philip Morris. She helped defend the company's leaders during legal cases. She became a senior associate at the firm.
While working there, Gillibrand became involved in the Women's Leadership Forum. This was a program of the Democratic National Committee. She said a speech by Hillary Clinton inspired her to get more involved in politics.
In 2001, Gillibrand became a partner at the law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner. She moved to the firm's Albany office in 2002. She left the firm in 2005 to start her campaign for Congress.
Government Work
Gillibrand says her private law work allowed her to take on cases for free. She helped women who had been abused and tenants seeking safe homes.
After Davis Polk, she worked for Andrew Cuomo. He was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at the time. She helped with HUD's programs to support workers and new markets.
In 1999, Gillibrand started working on Hillary Clinton's 2000 U.S. Senate campaign. She focused on getting young women involved. She and Clinton became close, and Clinton became a mentor to her.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections to Congress
2006 Election
Gillibrand thought about running for office in 2004. She decided to wait until 2006, as advised by Hillary Clinton. She ran against John E. Sweeney in New York's 20th congressional district. This district had mostly voted Republican for many years.
She received support from other Democrats, including Hillary and Bill Clinton. Both political parties spent a lot of money on the campaigns. Gillibrand was seen as a moderate Democrat.
Her past work for Philip Morris was an issue during the campaign. She had received campaign donations from the company's employees.
A police report about Sweeney's wife calling 9-1-1 became a major turning point. Gillibrand won the election with 53% of the vote.
2008 Election
After her win, Republicans thought it would be hard for Gillibrand to keep her seat. But she was reelected in 2008. She won against Sandy Treadwell with 62% of the vote. Treadwell spent a lot more money on his campaign.
Her work for Philip Morris was again brought up. Gillibrand said she voted for all anti-tobacco bills in Congress. She also said she had no control over her law firm's clients.
Time in the House
When she started in Congress, Gillibrand joined the Blue Dog Coalition. This group was made of moderate to conservative Democrats. She voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. She was worried about how the money would be watched.
She opposed giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. She also voted for a bill that limited sharing information about gun buyers. At that time, she had a good rating from the NRA.
Gillibrand was the first member of Congress to share her official schedule. She also published requests for special funding for projects. This "Sunlight Report" was praised by The New York Times.
Committees in the House
In the House of Representatives, Gillibrand served on these committees:
- Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry (Chair)
- Committee on Armed Services
U.S. Senate
Becoming a Senator
In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama chose Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Clinton was New York's junior U.S. Senator. When Clinton left her Senate seat, Governor David Paterson had to choose someone to replace her.
Gillibrand quietly campaigned for the position. She highlighted her success in winning elections in a mostly conservative district. On January 23, 2009, Governor Paterson announced his choice: Kirsten Gillibrand.
People in upstate New York were happy to have a senator from their region. Some in New York City were disappointed. Gillibrand was not very well known across the state.
Before her appointment, Gillibrand told an LGBT group that she fully supported same-sex marriage. She also supported ending the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for gay and lesbian service members.
Gillibrand was sworn in on January 26, 2009. At 42, she was the youngest senator in the 111th Congress.
Senate Elections
2010 Special Election
Gillibrand faced several possible challengers for the 2010 special election. But high-ranking Democrats supported her. She won the primary election with 76% of the vote.
She then easily won against former Republican congressman Joseph DioGuardi. She won with 63% of the vote. She carried 54 of New York's 62 counties.
2012 Election
Gillibrand ran for a full six-year term in November 2012. She ran against Wendy E. Long, an attorney. Gillibrand was supported by The New York Times.
She won the election with 72.2% of the vote. This was the largest victory margin for a statewide candidate in New York history. She won in almost all counties.
2018 Election
Gillibrand was reelected to her second full term in the Senate. She defeated Republican Chele Chiavacci Farley with 67% of the vote. She promised to serve her full six-year term if reelected.
2024 Election
Gillibrand is currently seeking her third Senate term. She is running against Republican Mike Sapraicone.
Time in the Senate
When she was in the House, Gillibrand was a moderate Democrat. But since becoming a senator, her political views have become more liberal. This change reflects the different people she serves. New York State is generally more liberal than her old congressional district.
For example, she was a key part of the effort to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This policy did not allow openly gay people to serve in the military.
In 2012, Gillibrand helped write a part of the STOCK Act. This law limited insider trading by members of Congress. President Obama signed it into law.
In December 2013, Gillibrand introduced a bill for paid family leave. This would help families take time off for family needs.
By 2013, Gillibrand had become good at connecting with people. She used personal stories to highlight her policy goals. For example, she created a website with videos of gay and lesbian veterans.
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In 2014, Time magazine named Gillibrand one of the 100 most influential people.
In 2015, she invited a college activist to the State of the Union Address. This was to promote a bill about safety on college campuses.
In 2018, Gillibrand said she was "embarrassed and ashamed" of her earlier views on immigration and guns. She had moved to a stronger position on gun control. She also called for changing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
She has been noted for voting against many of President Trump's nominees. This was along with other senators who were also thinking of running for president in 2020.
Senate Committees
Current Committees
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Marketing and Agriculture Security (Chair)
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities (Chair)
- Special Committee on Aging
- Select Committee on Intelligence
Previous Committees
- Committee on Environment and Public Works (2009–2021)
- Committee on Foreign Relations (2009–2011)
Caucus Memberships
- Healthy Kids Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- Senate Women's Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
- Afterschool Caucuses
2020 Presidential Campaign
| Gillibrand 2020 | |
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| Campaign | 2020 United States presidential election (Democratic Party primaries) |
| Candidate | Kirsten Gillibrand Senator from New York (2009–) Member of the House from New York (2007–2009) |
| EC formed | January 15, 2019 |
| Launched | March 17, 2019 |
| Suspended | August 28, 2019 |
| Headquarters | Troy, New York |
| Key people | Jess Fassler (campaign manager) |
| Receipts | US$15,919,261.11 (September 30, 2019) |
| Slogan | Brave Wins |
Considering a Run
In early 2019, Kirsten Gillibrand announced she was forming a committee. This committee would explore if she should run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. She said, "I am going to run," during a TV appearance.
Campaign and Withdrawal
On March 17, Gillibrand officially announced her presidential campaign on Twitter. Like other Democratic candidates, she promised not to take donations from corporate political action committees.
She was invited to the first and second Democratic presidential debates. However, she ended her campaign on August 28, 2019. She did not meet the requirements to qualify for the third debate.
Endorsements
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Many people and groups supported Gillibrand's campaign.
Political Positions
When she was in the House, Gillibrand was seen as a centrist Democrat. She was part of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of financially conservative Democrats. She voted against a major economic rescue act in 2008. She also voted against giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Since becoming a senator, Gillibrand's political views have shifted to be more liberal. In 2018, Newsday reported that she had "swung steadily to the left" on issues like guns and immigration. After joining the Senate, she supported same-sex marriage.
She changed her views on gun rights. She once had a high rating from the NRA, but by 2018, she had an "F" rating. She said a conversation with a family affected by gun violence changed her mind. In 2018, she also called for changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In 2018, City & State reported that Gillibrand had moved left on economic issues. She supported ideas to help lower-income families. The New York Times said she had embraced "economic populism."
In 2019, she changed her position again. She stated her support for driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. She has supported Medicare-for-all since 2006. She believes healthcare should be a right. Gillibrand also supports a federal jobs guarantee.
She now focuses on online fundraising and rejects corporate political action committee funds. She believes in government transparency. She shares a lot of her personal and scheduling information.
In 2017, Gillibrand co-sponsored a bill called the Israel Anti-Boycott Act. This bill would have made it a federal crime to encourage boycotts against Israel. However, she later said she no longer supported the bill as it was written. She wanted it changed to only apply to companies, not individuals.
Personal Life
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Kirsten Gillibrand met her husband, Jonathan Gillibrand, on a blind date. Jonathan is a venture capitalist from Britain. They married in 2001.
They have two sons: Theodore, born in 2003, and Henry, born in 2008. Gillibrand continued to work until the day Henry was born. Her colleagues in the House gave her a standing ovation.
Because of her job, the family mostly lives in Washington, D.C. In 2011, they sold their house in Hudson and bought a home in Brunswick. This was to be closer to Gillibrand's family in Albany. In 2020, they sold their Brunswick house and looked for a new home in the North Country.
Published Works
In 2014, Gillibrand published her first book, Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World. This book is a memoir, which is like a personal story. It talked about her experiences and sexism she faced in the Senate. The book became a New York Times Best Seller.
Electoral History Summary
Kirsten Gillibrand has been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate multiple times.
- 2006 House Election: She won her first election to the House of Representatives, defeating Republican John E. Sweeney with 53.10% of the vote.
- 2008 House Election: She was reelected to the House, winning with 62% of the vote against Sandy Treadwell.
- 2010 Senate Special Election: After being appointed to the Senate, she won a special election to keep the seat. She won the Democratic primary with 76.1% and the general election with 62.95% against Joseph DioGuardi.
- 2012 Senate Election: She won a full six-year term in the Senate with a large majority, receiving 72.21% of the vote against Wendy Long. This was a record-breaking victory margin in New York.
- 2018 Senate Election: She was reelected to her second full Senate term, defeating Chele Chiavacci Farley with 67.00% of the vote.
- 2024 Senate Election: She is currently seeking her third full Senate term, having won the election with 58.91% of the vote against Mike Sapraicone.
Images for kids
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Gillibrand campaigning for her Democratic House successor Scott Murphy (2009)
See also
In Spanish: Kirsten Gillibrand para niños
- List of United States senators from New York
- United States congressional delegations from New York
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- Women in the United States Senate
