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Ford drops his challenge to Gillibrand
Updated: August 21, 2010, 9:42 AM
WASHINGTON -- Harold E. Ford Jr. has given up his quest for a U.S. Senate seat from New
York, likely leaving Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, the incumbent, without a big-money challenger
in her race for the Democratic nomination.
"I've examined this race in every possible way, and I keep returning to the same
fundamental conclusion: If I run, the likely result would be a brutal and highly negative
Democratic primary ... a primary where the winner emerges weakened and the Republican
strengthened," Ford said in a New York Times op-ed piece to be published today.
Politics Now blog: Ford's announcement raises interesting questions about Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown
"I refuse to do anything that would help Republicans win a Senate seat in New York and give
the Senate majority to the Republicans," wrote Ford, a former Tennessee congressman.
Ford's abrupt and surprising decision to abandon what looked like a campaign radically
changed the shape of New York Democratic politics for the second time in less than a week.
Just last Friday, embattled Gov. David A. Paterson announced he would not seek election to a full term, clearing the Democratic field for State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo to get the gubernatorial nomination.
Ford, a vice chairman of Merrill Lynch, became a New York City media darling not long after
he signaled that he was interested in running against Gillibrand, the little-known Hudson
Valley politician whom Paterson appointed when then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton resigned last
year to become secretary of state.
The charismatic Ford traveled the state, wooing politicians who had not developed a close
relationship with Gillibrand.
And some ... including Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown ... met with Ford and appeared to welcome
his candidacy.
But the White House; Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.; and other top Democrats in the state
opposed Ford's candidacy, fearing a divisive Democratic primary would weaken the party's
chances of holding the seat in November.
Leonard R. Lenihan, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, said he was relieved by
Ford's decision.
"This primary could have been confrontational and difficult," Lenihan said. "I think this
is a good thing. It certainly bodes well for Sen. Gillibrand."
Glenn Caplin, Gillibrand's spokesman, said the senator "has shown that she takes a back
seat to no one when it comes to fighting for New York, and no matter who her opponent is this
fall, she will wage a vigorous campaign on her strong record and her vision for New York."
In his op-ed piece, Ford complains about the party's "campaign to bully me out of the
race," saying that showed Democrats are nervous.
As a congressman, Ford described himself as "pro-life," said illegal immigrants should be
deported if caught and voted for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union
between a man and a woman.
Gillibrand ignored Ford when he declared he was testing the waters. But after Ford began
regularly challenging her, the race that was not yet a race quickly turned ugly.
Ford called Gillibrand various names, including a hypocrite, a liar, an unelected senator
and a parakeet who takes positions based on whatever party leaders tell her to do.
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